Making New Friendships

Age UK contacted Timebank South West to refer a woman called Bev who needed some help with her garden. Bev told us that she had a lot of loss in the last couple of years which resulted in her becoming agoraphobic and having sleepless nights thinking about having to go to the shops. She would order a taxi to take her 500 yards up the road, wait for her and take her back home.

After joining Timebank Bev started coming along to one of our neighbourhood socials close to her home and through this Bev met new people and participated in some of the activities such as card making and Christmas meal.

So that Bev felt comfortable going to the socials our Timebank Outreach Worker Sally, picked her up in the morning and brought her back home afterwards. Sally use to have to go to Bev’s door but the last time she called; Bev walked out of her house to the car on her own. Bev now feels confident enough to go to the local shops near  her Timebank social on her own and says she “feels elated” when she does this.

Bev has also gone to a Timebank social in another area to take part in a Christmas dinner and visit from Santa. She said, “I will not open my gift until Christmas Day as it will be the only one that I have to open”.

After finding out about Bev we have now got her help with monthly food parcels from the local Well-being hub, and she was also invited to the Christmas meal at the hub so that she wouldn’t be on her own on Christmas Day.