Friends Of The Elderly
Founded in 1905, Friends of the Elderly is one of the UK’s longest running charities supporting older people. Its vision is a society where all older people are treated with respect and have the opportunity to lead fulfilled lives. To achieve this, the registered national charity provides support for all older people, particularly those in need due to mental or physical frailty, isolation or poverty.
Friends of the Elderly delivers a range of personalised care and support services that are integrated into local communities across the UK. These include: 14 care homes, 600 day care spaces, home care, grants and it supports 470 lonely and isolated people through its free befriending service. The charity also works to raise awareness about the issues affecting older people, particularly loneliness, and is encouraging everyone to get involved and make a difference through its Be a Friend campaign (www.beafriendtoday.org.uk). Almost 2,800 individuals and organisations have pledged to Be a Friend to date.
Friends of the Elderly has been fortunate to have Her Majesty The Queen as its patron since 1953. Through receptions at the palace, meeting the people it works with, and supporting fundraising initiatives, Her Majesty has helped the charity support thousands of people throughout the decades of her reign.
For more information visit: www.fote.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 226064
Steve Allen, Chief Executive of Friends of the Elderly:
“We have been very lucky to have Her Majesty the Queen as our patron since 1953. Having Her Majesty’s patronage is immensely important to help us raise awareness of the challenges faced by older people. As well as Her Majesty’s support, we simply could not provide befriending services to older people without the help of our fantastic volunteers – people like Sarah.
Thanks to them we are able to provide hundreds of older people living in isolation and affected by loneliness with a social lifeline. In addition to this, more than two and a half thousand people have joined our campaign to Be a Friend, which encourages people to get to know older people in their communities to help end loneliness across the country.”
Sarah’s Story
Please Click the video link below to view Sarah’s Story
Sarah Dell has been volunteering at Friends of the Elderly’s Hampshire care home for three years. Sarah visits the care home a minimum of once a week and hosts activities for the people who live there. She has also set up links with local schools, Scout groups and local groups, meaning the home is well connected in the community.
Her dog, Borris, is a firm favourite with the residents – she takes him to the care home regularly so that people who live there can walk him around the gardens and the local village.
