The thing I like best about my befriending calls with Glen is wondering what conversation the next call will bring. He’s such a busy character I really enjoy hearing and visualizing what he gets up to. Be it what he’s got on that week, jobs around the house and lots of other day-to-day things; our calls provide great enjoyment to me; I’d be so lost without them.
Being a little bit older in age to Nora enables me to tell her how I have adapted over time with my sight loss. It doesn’t mean my life has ended; it’s not as terrible as I feared it would be and I am still here and enjoying my life and she is doing the same too…
As I get older, I find it more difficult forming new relationships. People have their own lives to lead, I live on my own and my family relationships are quite strained. Sightline’s Telephone Befriending Service provides me with friendship; I’m so grateful the service exists. It has given me the chance to form a new friendship.
Prior to volunteering with Sightline I wouldn’t have said I was a particularly confident person but the more calls I do, the more confident I feel as it has provided the opportunity for me to gain new skills…
I don’t ever imagine not speaking with Greg. We’ve been chatting just over a year now and I really hope that continues for a long time. I’d recommend the Sightline telephone befriending service to others; if you’re feeling lonely these calls really can make a difference and lift your spirits; I’m proof of that…
It’s been brilliant talking to Jake – he’s re-discovering lost confidence all the time – I just love the fact that I have played a small role in helping with the befriending calls. We don’t just discuss sight loss during our calls; I have a Guide Dog and he has just welcomed a new dog into the family home. We’re sharing funny stories about the dogs and he tells me how his new four legged friend gives him more routine and helps with getting out and about for walks etc…
I currently speak with three very lonely older ladies. We chat about all sorts of things, mainly exchanging conversations about our families. One of my ladies tells me she can discuss things with me that she doesn’t feel she could share with her family. I find that a huge privilege that she finds me such a confidant; I help in any way I can…
It feels like we’ve known each other forever and I hope we can continue our calls for many more years to come. I class him as one of my closest friends even though we have never met and never will…
I am approaching my 10-month volunteering anniversary with Sightline having heard about the opportunity through another charity near to where I live. I thought it would be perfect for me as I have glaucoma and sensitivity to light so can understand life living with sight loss and share my support to someone else in a similar boat to me…
Football is always a talking point during our calls. We always have a bit of banter about how Claire’s team are performing in The Championship; it’s never that well so we never end up spending more than a couple of minutes on that at the start of our calls!
