Visiting Friends

14/10/2026

To All our brilliant Befrienders - why not share a cuppa online with other smashing Volunteers across the country to celebrate Befriendjng Week?!

Grab your brew of choice and join other befrienders online as we Connect Over a Cuppa! ☕️ Our popular befrienders' social is back for Befriending Week 2026, so sign up to build new connections and celebrate your incredible contribution as volunteers.
Book your free place: https://buff.ly/yC4fZ0j

30/07/2026

https://befriending.co.uk/connected-lives/dementia-training/

Calling ALL THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS! you can engage with this free CPD certified training either online or in person across Scotland! Aimed at helping you deepen your understanding of dementia, feel confident in holding dementia friendly events and engaging volunteers, it's a fabulous opportunity to network and make our communities more dementia resilient.
Please check it out and share with your networks - spaces are limited!

Locations across Scotland and Online Free to Attend CPD Certified Do you want to help make your community more dementia-resilient? With the number of people in the UK with dementia predicted to rise to over 1.4 million by 2040, it is vital that we are equipped with the skills to support those living...

04/06/2026

⭐️Volunteer spotlight!
Meet Lindsey - she normally likes to stay out the spotlight but we're delighted she agreed to feature in our week of Volunteer short quotes😃 Lindsey has been visiting her friend Janet for 3 years now and wanted to tell us "Joining Visiting Friends has been, and is still, a super experience. From the outset you and Debbie just been so approachable and supportive - safe to say that both Janet and I have become good friends and we so enjoy our Tuesday jaunts."

Thank you for the lovely compliments Lindsey and thank you for being such a super friend and support to Janet, as well as to Visiting Friends.

03/06/2026

⭐️Volunteer Spotlight!
Meet Lydia - she has been friends with Molly for the last 4 years and they are always finding new things to do together! Lydia told us “Connection through friendship is important to everyone so I volunteer to give a little time and company to make someone's day better”.
Thank you Lydia for being such a good friend and confidante to Molly as well as a fantastic support to Visiting Friends!

02/06/2026

⭐️Volunteer Spotlight!
Meet Rachel - she joined Visiting Friends six years ago and for the last two has been visiting Jean. We love these photos of her with Jean and also receiving her VF 5 year pin last year. We couldnt agree more with her thoughts on volunteering with us:
“I love being Jeans friend. I think inter-generational relationships are really important and give you a different perspective on life and when you don’t live near family it’s a lovely way to expand your friendship, for both of us”.

Thank you Rachel!

01/06/2026

⭐️Volunteer Spotlight:
Meet Irene (she's the one in the yellow cagoule) pictured here with her arm round fellow VF Volunteer Elaine - they met via Visiting Friends when Irene befriended Elaine's mum. Later on, Irene persuaded Elaine to become a befriender too. Always smiling and supporting VF since 2018, Irene refers to herself and Elaine as the "terrible twins" - we couldn't possibly comment 🤣.
Irene says: “I was allocated one friend and now I have many..... thanks to the V.F. Charity.” Thanks Irene for all you do! and to those also pictured here (L to R, Debbie, Linda, Irene, Elaine, Peter and Alan)

01/06/2026

⭐️Volunteer Spotlight!
Meet Marjorie (pictured here with her daughter Fiona who helps her mum get along to her befriending visits) - she is an inspiration to all of us here at VF - at 99 years young (& dare we say it, turning100 this year!!) and a lifelong volunteer, she came to volunteer with us in 2024. Here's what she has to say about volunteering:
"Being a volunteer for Visiting Friends means so many different things, especially when you see someone smile."
Thank you Marjorie, and for showing us that no matter what age you are, you can still make a difference!

01/06/2026

We couldn't offer a service to the people of Helensburgh and Lomond without our wonderful Volunteers - so we'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of our Volunteers past and present for choosing to make a difference with us. You are the pebbles on our beach; each one unique and together, making something so much bigger 🥰

02/02/2026

If you're thinking of volunteering this year why not pop along to our next coffee morning and find out what it's like to be part of Visiting Friends? - if you arent able to RSVP just come and say hello! 🥰

29/01/2026