SCCCC buddies up with The Sheffield Star to help combat loneliness & Isolation

8th February 2021

Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care (SCCCC) have teamed up with the local newspaper in a bid to recruit more volunteers for their telephone support service.

SCCCC had recently put a call out for more volunteers to spend an hour a week telephoning an isolated, older person on a regular basis throughout the pandemic and beyond. Helping to keep them connected through this difficult time. 

Tammy Wilson, SCCCC Good Neighbour Scheme team leader said; “The urgency is even greater now that a fresh lockdown has been imposed, with older people cut off once more from the outside world. Even giving just an hour a week could make a massive difference to the life of an older person in your community”. 

With over 100 vulnerable, older people on the waiting list for telephone support, Nancy Fielder wanted to personally get involved with the project. 

Nancy said “I am signing up to give an hour of my time as a volunteer, why? Because there is no sense of happiness that compares to helping others and few things as agonising yet simple to ease as loneliness. It will make an incredible difference to the lives of Sheffielders.” 

But she wanted to do more. So The Star launched their Buddy UP campaign to connect the growing number of isolated older people in Sheffield with thoughtful individuals who can offer their time for a chat on the telephone. 

Mark Storey, CEO of SCCCC said “We are proud to be collaborating with Nancy and the team at the Sheffield Star on our latest volunteer recruitment drive. The increase in loneliness and isolation amongst our older generations has been exacerbated by the Pandemic and we must come together to help combat this dreadful endemic of loneliness that blights our community.”

If you are interested in volunteering with SCCCC, please head to the website to find out more and request an application form: www.scccc.co.uk/volunteer

Or telephone 0114 2505290 to speak to Sharon Saunders, Volunteer Coordinator.