London Irish Centre - #BefriendingIs sunshine in the rain

The London Irish Centre - EMPOWERING AND ENRICHING LIVES THROUGH IRISH COMMUNITY AND CULTURE. Often big cities present personal challenges; loneliness, lack of sense of community or logistical hurdles can make if difficult to know where to go or who to turn to. Ireland is regularly referred to as the land of a thousand welcomes, and here at the London Irish Centre we aim to bring that welcoming spirit to everything we do.

Kathy and Robyn

Kathy came over to London in the 50’s and worked as an office clerk and undertook volunteering in her retirement. She was referred to the LIC befriending service by her family who live in the midlands and overseas as she had expressed that she wanted to be know more people in her area and talk about Ireland. Reminiscing is something Kathy often likes to do. She finds chatting helps her remember things.

Matched with Robyn, they speak about their experiences of moving to London; likenesses and the differences they encountered. Another topic of conversation being Kathy’s cat -they are both animal lovers as well as liking to be outdoors in nature.

The telephone befriending calls have helped Kathy stay up to date with what’s going on in the London communities “these days” and also enjoys updates of Ireland from Robyn’s trips home.

Kathy and Robyn tell us of their experiences meeting in person for the first time, which was such a highlight for them both.

Robyn:  " It was lovely to meet Kathy today. It's so different being able to speak face to face, it makes all the difference, so thank you for setting it up"

Kathy: I’ve enjoyed getting to know Robyn by phone, so it was really nice to finally meet her in person, even though it meant finding time between rain showers.

I think it’s nice to have both options available.

#BefriendingIs sunshine in the rain

By: London Irish Centre

If you're inspired and would like to get involved please visit: 

Volunteering - Care, Culture & Community | London Irish Centre