Wimbledon Guild

Wimbledon Guild Befriending Service works across the borough of Merton in helping to reduce social isolation by matching people with a local Volunteer Befriender for a regular visit, meet-up or call to connect them back to the community.

We deliver befriending support for people who are socially isolated and meet the following criteria:-
• live in Merton
• housebound and/or
• live alone and/or
• recently bereaved and/or
• living with a long term health condition

We are also able to support a limited number of people with a mental health diagnosis to reconnect with the community as part of our Connect & Befriend project.

Information for volunteers

Befriending is about community and connection.
If you can spare an hour a week or fortnight to support someone with a cup of tea and a chat, you can make a huge difference to someone’s life.
More people than ever are asking for our help so please get in touch – there’s always someone waiting for your visit, meet-up or call!
We’ll be here to support you and will keep in touch regularly to see how you’re getting on.
Volunteer Befrienders typically spend an hour every week visiting their client at their home. Other volunteers meet clients out in the community, and a few offer support over the phone.
We use a person-centred approach to match people so they can build a long-lasting friendship. For some people, contact with their Befriender can be the highlight of their week.