Age UK Richmond's Community Connections Service is for older residents in the borough of Richmond upon Thames. It has been set up to support people who want to join a social centre, local club or activity for retired people but who don’t want to go alone. You may have lost confidence during the lockdowns or following an illness, or you may be new to the area and prefer to try unfamiliar places with a companion.
For a period of 6 weeks, a friendly Community Connections Volunteer will be at hand to help in a variety of ways, including making 4 journeys together, either walking or on local buses. Our Volunteer can help you:
Discovering activities & hobbies; Your Volunteer will offer support and encouragement to help you connect with activities and hobbies you like, by providing information on groups & activities that are available in the local area.
Confidence in meeting new people and reconnecting with the community; Your Volunteer can meet you in a local cafe or somewhere else in the community to build confidence with meeting new people and connecting with the community. Volunteers can accompany you to a group or activity for the first time too.
Connecting with others online/ virtually; Your Volunteer can refer you to our free Digital Skills Connect to Tech Service to help you try online social activities, even if you have never done this before. We have tablet/computers with built-in cameras that we can lend for a period of time, alongside lessons from one of our technology volunteers who can teach how to use the device. Our tablets are mobile enabled so do not need any home broadband connection to use them.
Who is the service for?
This free of charge service is for Richmond upon Thames residents who are over 60 years and:
- Have little or no social contact with others and feel lonely or isolated
- Would like support to meet new people, connect with others and expand their social circle
- Can walk or use public transport without any physical support needed from a volunteer. Please note this is not a carer or transport service
To access this free service please contact our Wellbeing Services team on 020 8744 1965 or email wellbeing@ageukrichmond.org.uk