No one should to feel alone
More than half of people aged 75 years and over live alone and 1 in 10 can feel extremely lonely. A telephone call may
seem a small thing but it can help in so many ways;

It can improve wellbeing by giving a sense of belonging, of not being forgotten, of being part of the outside world. By
having someone to talk to, you can share how you are feeling, talk through any worries or concerns, and know that
all of this is in strictest confidence.

Anyone living in The Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, aged 55 or older, who feels
lonely or socially isolated. You can refer yourself or someone can make the referral
for you.
If you are not sure if someone is eligible, still contact us and we will do our best to
provide some help.
* We will ask you to provide details of someone we could contact in the case of an
emergency, in case we are unable to contact the client on the allocated call day.

Volunteers provide the telephone calls to the clients once a week, usually on the
same day, at the same time. They will also…
Our volunteers are trained to provide safe, confidential support to our clients and are
required to provide references before they join us.

Once a referral has been made contact is made via telephone by the Manager. A suitable day(s) are decided upon
and a match is made with the most appropriate volunteer. There are both male and female volunteers who are
ready to chat to you and soon put you at your ease. Before long you will think that you have known them for years.
The volunteers can also provide information about other services that may be of use.
If the volunteer is not able to make contact with you by the end of the shift they will try to get in touch with your
nominated emergency contact unless instructed otherwise by you.

If you know someone who could benefit from our Befriending Service you can make a direct referral by contacting
the North Staffs LinkLine office.
Telephone 01782 710436
The office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 09.30 – 12.30. There is an answerphone outside these
hours, in which case leave a message and we will call you back on our next working day.
If you are referring on behalf of someone else please ensure that you have their permission and that they are aware
that you are contacting North Staffs LinkLine. If you have any questions you can email using the address

 In order to process a referral, we will need to speak directly to the person being referred. This will need to be
during our office hours
 All referred individuals should be aged 55 or over and be feeling lonely and/or
isolated and live in Newcastle under Lyme area.
 If the Telephone Befriending Service appears to be inappropriate for the individual’s needs, North Staffs
LinkLine maintains the right not to provide the service.
 If we are unable to make contact with the person over a four-week period, on different days and times, we will
close the referral.
 We respect an individual’s autonomy, so if the service is declined, we will close the referral.
 We will only provide an update to a referrer, if requested, and when we know the outcome of a referral.
 Please note that once we are in touch with the individual directly, we will not share any information with the
referrer, without the individual’s permission. This will be a confidential relationship between North staffs LinkLine
and the individual
It's as easy as that? now pick up the phone and give us a call. We are waiting to hear from you …….01782
710436