Fife charity calls for volunteers to help tackle isolation among over 60s

Care and Share Companionship is based out of Bennochy Church. It provides free support for those living in Kirkcaldy who experience isolation and loneliness.

Teresa Naylor founded the organisation in 2019. She said like most charities Care and Share is struggling to meet demand as it struggles to recruit new volunteers:

“So many charities are experiencing the same. We don’t know if it’s the cost of living crisis that’s having an impact on people,” she said. “We have had a few enquiries from people but it just doesn’t go any further than that”.

The charity currently has nine people who have been referred to the service. It hopes to increase its volunteer base from 19 active helpers to 30 in order to meet that demand. Some volunteers help those in need with tasks such as shopping and getting to appointments, whilst others are available for telephone support.

According to Teresa, one of the key benefits of volunteering with Care and Share is the relationships that build up between volunteers and what the charity calls "friends".

She explained: “We like to call them friends, we don’t call them service users because I don’t like the term. The more you meet someone and chat to them, you’re actually building a rapport with them so there is a level of friendship there. It’s amazing the lives these people have lived. A lot of people look at old folk and think ‘oh they’re old’ but they forget that once upon a time they were young and got up to just as much nonsense as they do!”

Teresa said that the friends do their best to keep their visits interesting.

She explained: “Some of their stories are great. There’s one lady who used to go into her mum’s biscuit tin and steal chocolate biscuits to sell at school!

“I visit four people, and the discussions can be on any topic. One minute you’re talking about what’s going on in the world and the next it’s back to the good old days”.

To volunteer, contact the charity at: [email protected]