Volunteering with Age UK
Monday, 1 December 2025
In an effort to expand my life and do something good, I decided to sign up for some volunteering.
"Age UK offers a Telephone Friendship service that connects older individuals with volunteers for regular phone calls, helping to combat loneliness and social isolation."
I'm only four calls in but I've just put down the phone for this weeks call and felt a genuine glimmer of happiness. I signed up to do something good for someone else, but it's been really good for me too - more than I'd have ever expected.
A lot of the old structure of my life has fallen away recently and whilst spending a lot of time soul searching, I’ve realised that connection is at the centre of who I am. Meeting new people, listening to their stories, understanding their feelings and their emotions; it's all I want out of life at the moment, and in doing this, I've gained a very wholesome, new connection.
The application process was very simple. Just a few questions and some online training. I was a little bit nervous before our first call and had written a list of conversations starters but I needn't have bothered. Steve and I got paired up because we have a lot in common so the conversation flows easily. We have already bonded over our love of food, plus he is full of useful advice for me.
This tiny routine with someone I’ve never met has given me a little anchor to base my week around. It's one of few things that allows me to escape from my day. Particularly as my phone is at my ear so I can't mindlessly scroll. Instead I’m fully in the moment, invested in someone else’s world for half an hour.
I don’t know how long we’ll be telephone friends for, but while it lasts, I’m enjoying every call.
"Age UK offers a Telephone Friendship service that connects older individuals with volunteers for regular phone calls, helping to combat loneliness and social isolation."
I'm only four calls in but I've just put down the phone for this weeks call and felt a genuine glimmer of happiness. I signed up to do something good for someone else, but it's been really good for me too - more than I'd have ever expected.
A lot of the old structure of my life has fallen away recently and whilst spending a lot of time soul searching, I’ve realised that connection is at the centre of who I am. Meeting new people, listening to their stories, understanding their feelings and their emotions; it's all I want out of life at the moment, and in doing this, I've gained a very wholesome, new connection.
The application process was very simple. Just a few questions and some online training. I was a little bit nervous before our first call and had written a list of conversations starters but I needn't have bothered. Steve and I got paired up because we have a lot in common so the conversation flows easily. We have already bonded over our love of food, plus he is full of useful advice for me.
This tiny routine with someone I’ve never met has given me a little anchor to base my week around. It's one of few things that allows me to escape from my day. Particularly as my phone is at my ear so I can't mindlessly scroll. Instead I’m fully in the moment, invested in someone else’s world for half an hour.
I don’t know how long we’ll be telephone friends for, but while it lasts, I’m enjoying every call.