Wokingham

A group that provides vulnerable housebound people with a vital telephone link to the outside world is celebrating a £2,500 grant from Wokingham Borough Council.

The Community Link Line was set up as a pilot scheme by St Nicolas Church, in Sutcliffe Avenue, Earley, in November last year and is now looking to expand. The scheme, which is open to all members of the community, offers a weekly telephone contact by volunteers to provide a friendly chat to people who are housebound and who may otherwise become isolated. The callers can check on health problems, offer a chance for a chat and be a source of practical information. The callers do not provide advice themselves but will follow up any problems and refer them on to appropriate agencies.

The service is available to any housebound, isolated or otherwise vulnerable person, many of whom are elderly or disabled, in Earley or Lower Earley, although it may be extended to other areas in the future.

The project’s aims are:

 

· To reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

· To make people more confident about remaining in their own homes.

· To prevent unnecessary hospital admissions by early identification of health problems or practical difficulties with independent living.

· To increase the number of people accessing practical support and advice services.

The service works by organising for the client to be phoned once a week by the same trained volunteer at a pre-arranged time.

Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, executive member for Wokingham social care services and housing, said: “It is important that the borough council support such volunteer projects that help people to remain healthy and independent within their own homes. In the country as a whole, more than a third of older people don’t speak to a single person all week; that is very sad, and loneliness is one of the worst problems of old age. Thanks to the link line this problem is being tackled here, but more volunteers are needed and it would be great if a similar activity could be taken on by groups in other parts of the borough. I would like to congratulate the church and its volunteers for the achievements of the pilot scheme and wish them great success for the future.”

Research carried out at Wolverhampton University showed that regular calls to lone older people enabled them to cope better with ill health, fend off dementia and remain independent with confidence. Following this study a scheme was launched in Wolverhampton five years ago and it now makes 2,000 calls per week. The service launched in the Wokingham borough has adopted much of the Wolverhampton scheme’s practice and is a franchise of it. The franchise means the Community Link Line can make use of legal advice already received by the Wolverhampton project as well as advice on fundraising and conforming to government legislation.

The Reverend David Webster, a member of the team running the scheme said: “It is very important to understand that this scheme is for everybody – it is not just a Christian project. So far the feedback we have had from the people being phoned has been very positive and we are looking to expand it. We have had requests for people to be called in Winnersh and Sindlesham and are looking for other areas to expand into.”

Anybody who knows somebody who may benefit from the Community Link Line service should contact either Community Link Line organisers on (0118) 978 8804 or the church’s assistant priest, the Reverend Webster on (0118) 979 4568.

Wokingham Borough Council