User Feedback
Here's what some of our clients have to say about the difference having regular contact with a befriender has made to their lives.
"Over the past two years living through Covid, life has been challenging for some people including myself. Luckily, I was put in touch with A Listening Ear. This has been a lifeline to me. I am much older than my volunteer. I enjoy hearing about what is happening in a young person's life as I try to keep up with modern living. We chat about everything and anything. We even have a grumble about the weather. I feel sure there are people out there who would appreciate an occasional phone call and have a wee blether. A little act of kindness can go a long way in helping someone living through these difficult times and I speak from experience."
“I really welcome the phone calls. I enjoy our chats. I know that ALE can’t answer all me concerns but it’s just good to have someone to talk about them. I thought the afternoon tea meeting at the North West Castle was fantastic and good fun. I really enjoyed meeting other people as I don’t get to meet others much. I like helping Margie with the quizzes for the ALE zoom nights. And it was nice to get a thank you letter back. I know my volunteer is not able to help directly with problems but it helps me to talk about them and get ideas about what to do.”
"Thank you for a most enjoyable time. It was good to meet other members of the group. Donna, you made an excellent job, well done!"
A Volunteer says: "As a Listening Ear Volunteer, I really enjoy my weekly zoom calls with my phone friend. It’s a great way to get to know someone from a different walk of life who I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for A Listening Ear. I also really enjoy the fortnightly volunteer online meetings where I get to chat to other volunteers and get to know them. In these meetings, we find out about the great work A Listening Ear is up to and get to share our thoughts and ideas about its future."
Another volunteer says: "I’ve been K’s phone friend for a year now and enjoy his company on our weekly calls. And it’s good to know that he gets so much from being a phone friend with ALE whether it’s phone calls from me or wee letters from ALE. I think we all appreciate what he gives to us as well. Our quiz nights on zoom are great fun and are all thanks to him. It was a real pleasure when K asked us to go along to his club’s quiz night in June. It was lovely to meet him in person and we had a great night. It meant such a lot to meet him personally there and at the ALE afternoon tea.”
Thanks to Stranraer Development Trust, we received 5 x £50 supermarket vouchers and 5 x £25 Home and Hardware vouchers to support our phone friends living in or around Stranraer with the rising cost of living. Here is the feedback from one of our friends:
Thank you Donna and Listening ear for your very kind help. I got a double duvet and a hot water bottle with the voucher, there was 2p left on the Homes & Gardens voucher so I put it in the charity box in their store. I have about 60p-ish left on my Morrisons card. I have kept the receipts in case you need them. Thanks again for your very kind help and taking the time to think of us all in such a thoughtful way.