Together Co

Last night we celebrated Befriending Week with a gathering of our volunteers and people we support to say a huge thank you for all they do for us. Their support means such a huge amount to Together Co and although Befriending Week is a good time to acknowledge that, we really appreciate what they do all year round. Thank you so much to Projects for free use of the Globe Room. A perfect venue for this occasion. We were also given fabulous raffle prizes by Time To Talk Befriending and the pizzas were provided by Purezza who are always so supportive. We really enjoyed seeing you all last night, and we hope you enjoyed it too. #BrilliantBefriending #BefriendingWeek #Volunteering

We echo April's words. Everyone can make a difference through the power of positive connection. #BefriendingWeek #BrilliantBefriending #Volunteering

Spotlight on one of our matches - Rouksar and Vicky - and what befriending means to them. Vicky: "For me it's nice to have someone to turn to when things are tough and to talk things through, but also we go and do some nice activities that I enjoy." Rouksar: "Being a befriender has been the best decision I have ever made. Just seeing that I am making a positive impact on someone’s life feels like a huge sense of achievement to me." #BefriendingWeek #BrilliantBefriending

"We are all strangers at first, but we don’t have to stay strangers forever." Pilar Monteiro first found out about telephone befriending at Together Co through her job and got involved through workplace volunteering. She has continued to be part of our volunteering community and shares her story about what drew her to our organisation in this blog 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYfif9K2 Telephone befriending is a really flexible opportunity that has a significant impact for the people being befriended. We currently have a waiting list of people who need telephone befrienders so if you think you could spare a small amount of time to chat to someone at a time to suit you, please get in touch. We have a number of ways for workplaces to get involved, from larger scale team days to opportunities for monthly volunteering. Email hello@togetherco.org.uk to find out more. #TelephoneBefriending #BefriendingWeek #WorkPlaceVolunteering

Today marks the start of Trustees' Week and we would like to say a huge thank you and acknowledge the time our trustees give to Together Co. Trustees form an important part of any charitable organisation. We want to publicly recognise the difference our trustees make. Their support and guidance in invaluable. #TrusteesWeek #Volunteering Natalie Orringe Vivienne Benson Emma Naef Alex Tindal Ruth Bradley Gemma Baldwin (MCIPD, MSc)

Befriending doesn’t have to be through formal volunteering, it can also be shown through small acts of kindness towards neighbours and others in your community. #BefriendingWeek #BrilliantBefriending gail porter April Baker Alison Nicholson

Eric, 86, had spent most of his life living abroad and was connected to us after going into emergency accommodation. He was matched with befriender, Julian. We make many intergenerational befriending matches at Together Co which often result in the strongest of bonds. We love the fact that being years apart in age is no barrier to a great friendship. Eric joined the merchant navy aged 16 and served on British Antarctic Survey ships for 30 years. He then lived on a cocoa plantation in New Guinea and managed oil rigs in Oman. The 17 years before he returned to the UK were spent in the northern mountains of Thailand.     Eric said: "He’s the only true friend I look forward to seeing. He’s so helpful. He’s done so much for me." Julian added: "Speaking to Eric is incredibly interesting, as he has led such a varied and fulfilled life. Hearing all the stories about his past endeavours has not only been fascinating but incredibly informative too, and eye opening in many ways." #BefriendingWeek #BrilliantBefriending #Volunteering Befriending Networks Alison Nicholson April Baker Erin Rice Emily Daniel Anne Amner

Befriending volunteers are not just companions, they are a crucial connection to the outside world for the people they support. We want to recognise and say a huge thank you for their incredible role at Together Co at the start of National Befriending Week. Without our befriending volunteers we wouldn't be able to reach so many people across Brighton and Hove. Last year, they helped support 586 people through our befriending services, including in-person, telephone, and group befriending. By fostering meaningful connections, we alleviate loneliness and improve people’s quality of life. They play an essential role in promoting overall wellbeing, and keep an eye out for any concerns or changes in the wellbeing of the people they support. We are always looking for people to join us as befriending volunteers and need telephone volunteers at the moment. If you would like to join find out more about how you could get involved please email hello@togetherco.org.uk #BefriendingWeek #BrilliantBefriender #Volunteering Befriending Networks April Baker Alison Nicholson Erin Rice Ruth Lumley Anne Amner Emily Daniel

🎉🧠 Get your thinking caps on! Join us at The Signalman Pub on Wednesday, 20th November for a Pub Quiz Night 🎉 Entry is just £5 (cash or card on the door) as well as a raffle on the night with plenty of exciting prizes. All money raised will go straight back into the Brighton & Hove community, helping us support people who are across the city. Gather your team, grab a drink, and make a difference 🍻 #PubQuiz #BrightonEvents #SupportLocal

It was a pleasure to welcome gail porter to Gatwick Business Show as the headline speaker. She was interviewed about her charity work by April Baker, CEO of Together Co. Image by Howie McConnell 🎥📸 #networking #sussex