Lola’s
Sightline Story
I started volunteering with Sightline earlier this year. I chose to volunteer because I was on a career break, going through the lockdowns, and felt like doing something meaningful. I have wanted to work with people with a visual impairment for a while as I have experience of poor eyesight.
My current befriending relationship is with a lady called Josie* who is lovely. I often learn many interesting facts from her; she is very smart and loves to learn. Josie is a great cook and keen gardener; I enjoy listening about her culinary achievements and sometimes ask her for advice on how to keep my plants alive. I thoroughly enjoy our chats and hearing all about Josie’s latest projects.
One day when we were supposed to have our weekly call it was Josie’s birthday. I thought she might cancel or ask to reschedule but we went ahead the call as planned. I had some tea and cake to celebrate the occasion on my side as we spoke about treating ourselves and future plans; it was lovely! We laugh a lot during our calls, and I’m inspired with her drive and all she has achieved through her life.
“I hope Josie enjoys our chats as much as I do. They’ve made a real difference to me and I hope they make her feel less lonely.
I would highly recommend volunteering with Sightline as it is a very rewarding experience.”
If you can spare 1 hour a week from the comfort of your own home to help someone like Josie; we’d love to hear from you.
*Name changed to protect service user identity.
Without the help of our dedicated team of volunteers like Lola, we couldn’t offer our unique telephone befriending service. If you would like to take your first steps volunteering with us, we’d love to hear from you. Call 0800 587 2252 or email us at info@sightline.org.uk to find out more.
To find out more, please contact us:
(*0800 numbers are free to call from BT landlines and most mobile networks)