Our tea party hosts are a vital part of the Re-engage team. Tea parties provide a lifeline of friendship for our older people, and the regular, warm, friendly chats and companionship provide a vital link with the outside world from which they have become isolated. Re-engage needs enthusiastic volunteers to work as tea party hosts. This is a flexible, voluntary role that can easily be fitted in around your own lifestyle and availability. As a volunteer host you will run a local Re-engage tea party one to two times a year. You will host a group made up of volunteer drivers, the group coordinator and older guests in either your home or a community venue. The tea parties will last around two hours and will usually take place on a Sunday afternoon. You must be comfortable socialising with people and providing guests and other volunteers with refreshments. You will need one reference and to complete an ID check for this role. Tasks include: • Welcoming a group of older guests and volunteer drivers into your home or to the community venue. • Providing and serving refreshments for your group – usually food and drinks for afternoon tea. • Liaising with your group coordinator to ensure dietary requirements and the older guests' needs are met prior to the tea party. • Informing the group coordinator of any safeguarding concerns or issues you might have. • Following all guidance in your host training modules to ensure that the tea parties are enjoyable, appropriate, and in line with our charitable aims. The number of older guests attending your tea party will be confirmed by the group coordinator prior to the group meeting so you have plenty of time to plan. It is important for the older guests to have access to a downstairs toilet. They will also require seating; a combination of lounge chairs and hard back chairs is fine. Don’t worry if you don’t have chairs for all the drivers as they will be circulating and helping you if required, so you can enjoy the afternoon too. A lot of stairs can present problems, although just a few steps are usually manageable

As a call companion, you will make regular telephone calls to an older person experiencing loneliness and isolation. These calls provide a lifeline of friendship for our older people, and the regular, warm, friendly chats and companionship provide a vital link with the outside world from which they have become isolated. Over time, you and the older person you have been matched with will get to know each other well and together you will spend many hours full of fun, laughter and stories. You will need one reference and to complete an ID check for this role. Tasks include: • Calling the older person you have been matched with two to four times per month at an agreed time. • Following the guidance in your call companion training modules to ensure that your calls are enjoyable, appropriate and in line with our charitable aims. • Keeping in regular contact with Re-engage. This is a flexible, homebased voluntary role that can easily be fitted in around your own lifestyle and availability. Call companions call the older person they are matched with between two and four times per month, and each call lasts around 30 minutes. During your first call with the older person, you will decide together how often the calls will take place and at what time. This is a long-term voluntary role, so we are ideally looking for individuals who are able to commit to volunteering with us for at least 12 months.

Hanover is one of Scotland's largest registered social landlords specialising in services for older people. We work closely with our residents to help people live independent, secure and fulfilling lives. Where do you fit in: Volunteer Befrienders help older people who feel isolated or unable to get out very easily on their own by giving time on a one-to-one-basis to help an older person maintain social contact, provide companionship and reduce social isolation.

Our volunteers offer informal companionship to people aged 65 and over in Berwickshire and Kelso. Use your life experience and the skills you’ve picked up along the way to help older people in our community. You will get so much in return – new friendships, laughter and fun, greater self -confidence, renewed purpose, and energy. Volunteering can be a great addition to your CV. There are lots of different ways you can get involved with BeFriend, you could: • Visit a befriendee • Become a telephone befriender • Help with our group activities • Provide transport to our group activities Here’s what our volunteers say: “Listening is a wonderful thing to be able to do for someone who needs to talk, it can change a person’s life.” “It doesn’t feel like volunteering now! I just visit a friend every week to catch up.” Benefits to volunteers: The chance to give something back to your community. The chance to get to know your community. Better confidence. Become part of our friendly team and help reduce loneliness and isolation.