A SHROPSHIRE charity is looking for volunteers to befriend elderly people.

Age UK Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is currently looking to recruit more volunteer befrienders across the county.

Volunteer befrienders visit older people in their homes and offer company and conversation, meanwhile telephone buddies phone older people experiencing isolation to help alleviate loneliness.

The charity is looking for people to visit or make calls once a week for one to two hours. Volunteers must have a caring nature and an interest in working with older people, understanding their needs and challenges.

Heather Osborne, chief executive officer at Age UK STW, said: “Our services could not run without our dedicated team of around 800 volunteers who are the life blood of our charity.

"Giving up an hour or two of their spare time will make all the difference to the life of an older person who may be suffering from loneliness, a lack of mobility, or both.

"Our volunteers get a huge amount of satisfaction helping older people, and our services are in great demand, particularly in the areas stated.”

To find out about befriending roles, contact Janice Williams or Becky Kelly on 01743 588570.

Alternatively, to find out more about volunteering in general, email volunteering@ageukstw.org.uk or visit www.ageukshropshireandtelford.org.uk

Training and support will be provided by Age UK Shropshire Telford and Wrekin, and out of pocket expenses are paid.