Fife friendship service expanding as demand grows

The Friendship Cabin, which started off in Kirkcaldy, opened its doors last year in Glenrothes’ Otters Head after learning that there was a huge local need.

Now they’re about to hold a curry afternoon as a fund raising event but also to celebrate opening Studio 8 as a second venue after being over subscribed at The Otters Head.

And the team of ten dedicated volunteers who run the group – all of whom have previously worked with older people in the Kingdom – are now keen to let even more people know about the service.

Among their number is Pearl Weepers, who used to work for Age Concern in Glenrothes as well as in elderly care homes locally.

Explaining why The Friendship Cabin was formed, Pearl (50) said: “We have all worked with the elderly and had noticed that so many facilities for them were closing.

“Lunch clubs and day care centres have been closing at an alarming rate.

“So there’s really not that much available for older people to do here in Fife.

“That got us thinking about what we could do to help; from that came The Friendship Cabin.”

Initially, Pearl and her fellow volunteers targeted those aged 65 and over. However, they soon started receiving calls from people in their 40s and 50s who also felt isolated.

Pearl said: “We were asked to bring down the age range so the Cabin is now open to isolated people aged 40 and over.

“The Cabin is helping tackle social isolation, which is a growing problem for older people locally.

The curry afternoon fundraiser will take place at Handi restaurant in Glenrothes on Thursday, April 25, at noon. Tickets, costing £20 per head to include a three course meal with entertainment, are on sale now from Pearl Weepers.

If you would like to find out more about the service and what it offers in Glenrothes, or book a ticket, give Pearl a call on 07423 154632 or email [email protected].