As a Carer, I have been receiving befriending calls once a week for two years. 

My caring role intensified overnight and I felt completely overwhelmed and embarrassed to say ”angry” at the circumstance I now found myself in. 

I had a successful business and fulfilled life which just suddenly changed. 

I was referred to the befriending service and to be honest wasn’t sure this was for me or how it would help but all I can say is “I don’t know how I got through this time without my befriender” so if you have any doubts about using the service, push them aside and please give it a try. 

From our first call we clicked. 

No one was more surprised than I was that this could happen with someone I’d never met and couldn’t see. 

They didn’t judge me when I spilled out how I was feeling but gave words of comfort and understanding. 

On some occasions, with my permission, my befriender would refer me to the Befriending Coordinator and through our conversations and information shared with them by DCA, they were aware of other support/grants that I might have been eligible too.

My befriender always had a sense of how I was feeling when I answered the phone and always managed to lighten my mood and end the calls on an up. 

Of course, they couldn’t change my circumstance but feeling heard and having that time for me made all the difference.