A NEW lifeline service has been launched in Tavistock to help the increasing number of older people living on their own or suffering from loneliness.

'A Voice that Makes A Difference' is the new telephone befriending service initiated by Tavistock Area Support Services (TASS) to reach more vulnerable people in the community.

The service came about due to the popularity of the charity's befriending outreach service, which currently supports around 80 people out in the community — and also the large waiting list for befrienders.

The befriender service works by assigning each elderly person with a volunteer who provides friendly conversation and companionship on a regular basis over a long period of time.

TASS is hoping that by providing this service on the end of a telephone line, people who have 'disappeared' off the system will be found.

Cathy Hipsey, befriending service co-ordinator, said: 'If it was not for the befriender service some elderly people would never leave their homes or speak to anyone for days.

'We have a large waiting list for one-to-one support and we know these people could really benefit from a weekly call.

'Many elderly people do not have regular contact with Social Services and they don't visit their GP very often, so they have slipped through the net.

'A weekly call from a local person who can chat about what's going on in the area is hugely beneficial.

'Just like our befriending service it will be a lifeline, a link with the outside world, especially for those whose families live at the other end of the country.'

In England, 51% of people over 75 live alone and five million older people say the television is their main form of company.

National figures suggest that around one million people in this country regularly go an entire month without speaking to anyone.

At present there are 70 people who are waiting for a one-to-one befriender in the Tavistock area, but only 50 befrienders.

Cathy said the new phone service had started with phone calls on a Tuesday and Friday morning but it was expected that the phone service would become as popular as the outreach service and TASS would be operating it five days a week, once it had more volunteers.

Andy Lyle, manager at TASS, said: 'We are pleased to be able to launch this service a month earlier than planned, as each week more and more people ask for a befriender — someone to help them with a range of things or just someone to chat to because they are lonely.

'We have 50 volunteers supporting around 80 clients and as with everything we do, we are always on the look out for more volunteers!'

Val Vines, chair of TASS trustees and founder of the befriending service, said that with everything that TASS did, it was the client that mattered and they heard more and more about older people who live in isolation because of transport problems, finance, disability, social and health conditions.

She said: 'The work that TASS does, with the invaluable help of all our volunteers, makes such a difference to so many people and this new service will be able to reach more vulnerable people and we know, for many, it will be a lifeline.'

To find out more about the service call Cathy Hipsey on 01822 610942.