About Us

More than half of people over the age of 75 live alone and 1 in 10 can feel extremely lonely. We are a small local charity based in Newcastle- under-Lyme which provides FREE telephone befriending service to older people.

There is a group of Trustees who oversee the management of the organisation. The day to day running of North Staffs LinkLine is provided by our Manager, Sue, who has been involved with North Staffs LinkLine since the beginning. The telephone calls are made by a fantastic group of volunteers, some of whom have been with us since 2007 so have a lot of experience, with a passion and desire to help and support.

How we began

Family experiences of the local parish priest in Clayton in 2007 led to the beginning of North Staffs LinkLine. He had seen first- hand how a telephone befriending service could help alleviate the loneliness and isolation that can come with spending hour after hour alone with often only the T.V. or radio for company. A group of volunteers agreed that it was a good idea and so North Staffs LinkLine began. We offer friendship, information and advice through our telephone befriending service which provides welcoming regular contact.

The most important thing we do is provide a listening ear.

“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”…… Mother Theresa

A telephone call may seem a small thing but it can help in so many ways.

It can improve well being 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 who lives in the Borough of Newcastle under Lyme who is aged 55 years or older who feels lonely or socially isolated. If you are not sure if you are eligible, contact us. We will do our best to find you some help. You can leave a message out of hours. Our office hours are Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 09.30 – 12.30.

No one should to feel alone

Volunteers provide telephone friendship to older people at least once a week, sometimes more often depending on the need. They will also offer support by providing information about and liaising with other services and or social groups that may be useful. Some of the volunteers have been telephoning since North Staffs LinkLine began in 2007. Our volunteers receive training and provide references.

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. The same volunteer will phone at the same time on the same day every week and before long you will feel that you have known them for years. They can chat about anything you want to and 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. However, please note that North Staffs LinkLine is not a face to face befriending service.
Our telephone number is 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 have any questions you can email using the address [email protected]. Please note we do not accept email referrals at this time.

The referred individual should be 55 years of age or over and be isolated and/or lonely. 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
North Staffs LinkLine maintains the right not to provide the telephone befriending service to the individual if the service appears to be inappropriate for their needs.
If we are unable to contact the individual over a four-week period, on different days and times, we will close the referral.
If the service is declined by the individual we will respect their choice and close the referral. They may be referred again if they later change their mind.
If a referrer requests an update, it will only be provided once an outcome is known.
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 as it is a confidential relationship between North Staffs LinkLine and the individual.

We look forward to hearing from you

Below are some guidelines for the individual being referred

In order begin the referral, we will need to speak directly to the person being referred. This will need to be during our office hours.
We will ask you to provide us with details of someone who would be an emergency contact if we are not able to speak to you on your call day.
We understand that sometimes things crop up and you may not be able to receive your call as usual. We would ask that you give us as much notice as possible if you will be unavailable for your call. You can always leave a message on the answer phone out of hours.

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