Jeremy’s Sightline Story

Jeremy’s
Sightline Story

Whilst I am not visually impaired, I am a retired medical professional and during the Covid pandemic I considered how I could volunteer my time to help. I registered my interest with my local authority who gave me several options; the one that I chose was telephone befriending with Sightline.

My first call with my befriendee happened in June 2020 and we’ve chatted weekly ever since. The lady I speak to has family that visit which she enjoys but has other health issues means she doesn’t get out and about much. Our calls often last over an hour and we chat about a whole host of subjects!

My befriendee tells me she enjoys ours calls and can often be lengthy so that to me is a good indicator that the calls are going well! I lost my husband 2 years ago and found myself with more time on my hands.

The feeling of giving something back is great and even though I am very busy now, I do make sure I am available for my weekly call as I know how important they are to my befriendee.

I also enjoy speaking outside my usual friendship circle – there’s always something new to learn.

All our conversations provide different talking points, we rarely pause for breath! My befriendee has an incredible memory which allows her to enter a world outside of her confines – her imagination takes over and it’s wonderful to listen to.

I would encourage others to volunteer too; it’s very rewarding and so easy to do.