Silver Friends has partnered with Botanical Place in West Byfleet, for a 5km walk on Saturday 16th September 2023. The Wellbeing Walk is about meeting new people and gaining the benefits from doing something outside. The mission is to bring the community together and raise awareness for the important work that the charity does. At Silver Friends, we organise events and services which provide essential support for older lonely and isolated people. We would like to share one our stories below…

John and Mavis are neighbours in a block of flats. * Mavis has macular degeneration and John has poor mobility; he is in a wheelchair. They are both in their late nineties. They rely on each other for help and support. John helps Mavis by being her ‘eyes’ and Mavis helps John by being his ‘legs’. Life is extremely difficult for them both, but they try keep each other’s spirits up.

When we first met them, neither had been out of their flat for a social event since before the pandemic. We invited them along to a Summer BBQ which they accepted with enthusiasm. We arranged special transport for John and one of our volunteers helped Mavis, as she is unable to see well enough to walk independently. They were an absolute delight as they relished the chance to interact with others. According to them both, they had not attended a BBQ for many years.

Since then, they have attended many of our events. Each time, we provide them with the transport and support they require. Mavis has made a wonderful new friend, Betty, who recently had her 100th birthday and is one of our regular attendees. Betty said to us: “Who would have thought that I could make a new friend at 100 years of age.”

Silver Friends was only started last year yet we find ourselves already making a big difference in the community. Your contributions will have a huge impact on what we can do for older people and the kinds of events and trips we can organise.

* These names are pseudonyms