Honiton: Befriending Hubs offer companionship and a sense of community to locals

Honiton's Befriending Hubs offer friendship and company, and they are becoming increasingly popular.

The TRiP Befriending Hubs meet in Honiton's Mackarness Hall every second Tuesday of the month at 1.15pm - 3.30pm.

The Befriending Hubs offer a chance for local residents to meet and enjoy lunch or an afternoon tea.

People of all ages can attend and you do not need to have any specific needs: everyone is welcome.

Each month a different activity is offered, which could be a guest speaker, an exercise class or even a game of cards or crossword.

Door to door transport to Mackarness Hall is also available for those that need it.

Currently, the Befriending Hubs take place in Honiton, Rockbeare and Dunkeswell.

With the advent of the first lockdown in March 2020, requests for TRiP'S services quadrupled, and demand is continuing to grow.

Lorrie Wilson, TRiP'S Befriending Co-ordinator told Nub News: "The hubs are becoming increasingly popular and numbers have doubled in just a few months."

"One of our regulars who suffers from a lifelong disability said that his life had been a lockdown since his disability was diagnosed, and it really lifted his spirits to be able to socialise and know he was safe.

For some, they have been bereaved and others may have moved to the area or be estranged from family."

Tim is a volunteer at the Honiton Befriending Hub. He told Nub News that they "offer an invaluable opportunity for people in the local community who may feel lonely, isolated or simply in need of some interaction with like-minded people.

"Above all, the hubs offer friendship, a change of environment - particularly when many other activities may be restrictive or difficult during the current pandemic - and a real sense of community."

Tim explained how the Hubs benefit the volunteers as well as the users: "I probably gain as much from these sessions as the public users do, as I have learned more about the area I live in and some of its local residents as a result.

Everybody has an interesting tale or two to tell, and it is impossible to attend a hub without either laughing, finding out something you never knew before, or being reminded of some long-forgotten incident in your distant past."

The Befriending Hubs cost £5 for lunch and the activity, and £7 if transport is also needed.

You can find out more about TRIP's services here