Deafblind UK have been in touch with us to ask if any of our readers would be interested in becoming a phone or email volunteer. A great opportunity to make a difference to those in our community with sight and hearing loss as they too stay at home due to Coronavirus, often with much less contact than usual. They say,
“People with sight and hearing loss need our support now more than ever, and we can make a huge difference to their lives through phone and email contact. We urgently need volunteer befrienders, based from home, to do more of this vital work. A quick chat with you on the phone, or a daily email, could mean so much to someone right now. So, if you have any time at all you can spare, please get in touch with us to find out more!” Click here to find out a little more about what is involved.
James McVicker, Outreach Officer for Deafblind UK in Northern Ireland says, “The isolation caused by coronavirus is frustrating to many of us. But for someone who is deafblind, to them this may be a reality of everyday life.
I am an outreach officer but, because of home working, I have been redeployed to make some of these calls. It’s so uplifting to know that you have made a REAL difference in someone’s life, just by chatting to them.
“Today I spoke to a lady who hasn’t spoken to anyone for three days. We talked about the weather, where she lived, her memories and what was on TV (other than the news!). In total the call only lasted about 10-15mins and by the end of it, we BOTH felt more positive about the future!
If this is something you would like to do, click on this link and it will take you to the Deafblind UK website where you can begin the application. If you know someone who has sight and hearing loss and would like to receive some calls, get in contact with us via the info on the website. Thanks in advance.”
Find out more about the support offered by Deafblind UK to those with hearing and sight loss in our community here.
