Rotarians become 'Friends Together'

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One year since members of the Rotary Club of Rochdale were trained to befriend people with mental health problems, the scheme has gone from strength to strength.

Rotarian Mike Tomkinson is a Community Mental Health Worker with the national charity 'Together', which is the oldest mental health charity in the country, and a year ago he and his colleagues at 'Together' started training the Rotarians, who, once qualified, commit themselves to befriend a client for about an hour once every two weeks.

Mr Tomkinson said: "It's not an onerous commitment but it will provide valuable support to help the recovery of someone who is struggling to make meaningful contact with friends in the community and who needs to increase their feelings of confidence, self-esteem and well-being."

Now the befriending scheme is approaching its first anniversary and has been making good progress in supporting its clients. "Three Befriender training schemes have been given to eleven Volunteers and feedback from befriended clients has been very encouraging," said Mr Tomkinson.

"Now that Befrienders from the Rotary Club of Rochdale have helped set the scheme up, we at Together are working hard to recruit more Volunteers from the community as there is a considerable demand for this service.

"After a great deal of work we have submitted an application for Approved Provider Status to the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation and they are in the process of auditing our work. Achieving this standard will positively validate our procedures and methods of working, giving confidence to all those involved."

On the last weekend in September Rotarians and members of Together staff will be displaying information about the befriending project in the exhibition area at the Rotary Conference in Llandudno. Mr Tomkinson said: "We wish to inform other Rotary clubs about the value of this work in the hope that they will consider setting up a similar project in their own areas in partnership with a local mental health charity. Staff from Together will be able to advise on all aspects of the scheme as well as how to make contact with local partners."

For further information contact staff at the Together office:

Julie Radcliffe or Mike Tomkinson. Together working for wellbeing. 219 Bury Road Rochdale OL11 4EE. Tel: 01706 750740. email pm-rochdalecss@together-uk.org