Market Drayton Churches Together are exploring the possibility of setting up a Care Home Friends project in the area. CHF is a Christian project which has developed out of the very successful Embracing Age, in Richmond Surrey, which has links with every care home in the borough.
The vision behind CHF is not the one which may come to mind most readily when one thinks of visiting a care home. It is not to chat with those people who are sitting in a communal lounge, nor to lead services, but to care for individuals who feel lonely and vulnerable even in such a busy place.
All that is needed to establish a CHF project is a few volunteers who are motivated to befriend lonely, elderly people living in a care home. Befriending involves a wide range of activities such as chatting, reading aloud, doing crosswords, playing board games or taking someone out for a walk. Weekly visits of this nature can greatly benefit a lonely person.
To find out more about CHF you can
- download a PDF copy of their introductory leaflet;
- visit the Care Home Friends website
- visit the Embracing Age website
- watch the videos below.
Anyone interested in volunteering will be provided with a day’s training and will need a current DBS certificate.
If this project is to be successfully launched in Market Drayton, it will need someone willing to take on the role of voluntary project co-ordinator. This role involves liaising with local care homes, recruiting and training volunteers and linking them with residents. Full details are listed in this leaflet which explains the role of a project co-ordinator.
Unlike Foodbank and CAP projects, Care Home Friends requires very little funding. Therefore the greatest need is for people with time available which they are motivated to share with people who find themselves lonely in a crowd.
If you are interested in getting involved please contact Randall Hardy, Tel: 01952-540970 or email, by 7 May 2018.
A poster is also available to advertise the need for volunteers.
You can download this by clicking on the image below.
