Falmouth Age Concern's befriending service offers a lifeline for lonely people in the Cornish town. And the group is appealing to the £££s for People campaign so it can continue its work.
The heart of the service is the friendship offered by volunteers to disabled and other lonely people, who are often elderly. The testimonies from people helped by the service show just how much it is appreciated.
"You are preventing me from going mad and giving up," a man called James told the group.
"It was a lucky day when I met Carolyn," wrote Beryl, "She is a friendly, lovely lady who helps me whenever I need it."
Falmouth Age Concern centre manager Peter Maxted explains: "Our volunteers visit once a week or so for a chat to identify any needs we might be able to help with, and to be a point of contact with the outside world.
"We have recently expanded to include a telephone befriending service for those who are particularly hard to reach, and have started several clubs – art, film and reading – to engage those who wouldn't normally come out for social purposes."
The group also organises a summer barbecue and a Christmas lunch, at a cost of £1,600 each year, and plans to use any grant from the Western Morning News's £££s for People campaign to fund these two events next year.
"They are an opportunity for our older clients to get out and enjoy themselves – sometimes the only time they do this over a whole year – and also to say thank you to our wonderful volunteers," he adds.
Also doing its bit to combat loneliness is the Oasis Centre, based in St Columb in North Cornwall. The club provides home visiting for the housebound and sick, and also runs clubs at its centre on the town's main street, including a "knit and natter" session, and classes with a local artist.
The group would like to expand its services with a carers' cafe and a group for older men who are on their own, as well as visits to local care homes, a benefits surgery and debt counselling.
And, further west along the Cornish coast at Porthtowan, the village hall has been nominated to receive an award from Nicky Pearce. She says help is particularly needed to spruce up its popular children's play park.
"My son loves it but, like any outside facility on the North Cornwall coast, it suffers wear and tear from the weather as much as the children," she says.
"Good as they are, many of the activity features need maintenance and repair and I would love to see this nomination succeed to assist all the children of the village keep fit, active and safe."
The £££s for People campaign, run by the Western Morning News with the Devon and Cornwall Community Foundations, has £20,000 to distribute to local good causes.
A total of 60 groups – 30 in Cornwall and 30 in Devon – have been shortlisted for a share of the prize money, with votes from WMN readers deciding how the money is divided.
The more votes a group receives, the bigger their share out of the prize, with each group guaranteed a minimum of £100. A voting coupon will be printed in the paper every day until the closing date of December 7.
