At Age UK Maidstone one of the ways we try to beat loneliness in later life is through our  Befriending Service, where a volunteer visits an older person once a week in their own home. Each older person is assigned a befriender, who provides friendly conversation and companionship on a regular basis over a long period of time. 

Befriending provides an older person with a link to the outside world and often acts as a gateway for other services and valuable support.