Community Blog

And finally, we’re so excited to share the last of three blog posts highlighting friendships that have been formed through lockdown on the Sherburn Road Friends and Neighbours befriending scheme. The befriending scheme was established by the Achor Community in 2014, and supports those experiencing loneliness and social isolation in the Sherburn Road and Gilesgate areas of Durham. During the coronavirus we have also been providing shopping support, food parcels, fortnightly letters and activity packs to everyone we support.

The stories highlighted in the blog have been kindly written up for us by Adrienne Hunter from the Gilesgate Residents Association.

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David first met Alan when he came to do some volunteer gardening for him – but when lockdown hit, they had to move their friendship onto the phone.

It hasn’t been difficult, though. Alan says: “David’s a great person to talk to – I can chat to him about anything.”

They first met when Alan’s mum was ill, and King’s Church pushed a note through the door offering help with gardening. And after she sadly passed away, Alan was pleased to stay in touch.

David, a former student, is from another city but finds that the Gilesgate and Sherburn area feels just like his home town.

“”I come from a very similar area to this, so it feels familiar here,” he says.

“This is a really open community and it been great to get to know people, and Alan in particular.

“He’s not in the best of health, and he’s been through quite a lot, but he really cares about helping other people; for instance, he recently went to give a bone marrow donation.”

During lockdown, King’s helped Alan with his shopping, too. “I have to take extra care because of several health conditions, and that’s been a big help to me,” he said.

Now lockdown is easing, David has already been back working in Alan’s garden, and the two are glad to see each other again.

“As well as talking on the phone, I went down a few times and we said hello through the window,” says David

“I really appreciate how I’ve been able to get to know someone I might otherwise not have come across.”

It’s time for the second of three blog posts highlighting friendships that have been formed through lockdown on the Sherburn Road Friends and Neighbours befriending scheme. TThe befriending scheme was established by the Achor Community in 2014, and supports those experiencing loneliness and social isolation in the Sherburn Road and Gilesgate areas of Durham. During the coronavirus we have also been providing shopping support, food parcels, fortnightly letters and activity packs to everyone we support.

The stories highlighted in the blog have been kindly written up for us by Adrienne Hunter from the Gilesgate Residents Association.

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When the lockdown hit, Mary’s prime concern was keeping her shielded husband safe and sorting out shopping – but after a few weeks she had another requirement…

“I was asked what I needed, and I said: ‘I need someone to talk to – I’m going up the wall!” she says.

With a son living abroad and no other family, Mary – a pensioner and a very active person – and her husband were finding the isolation tough.

The answer came in the shape of Sarah, one of King’s trained volunteers – and despite an age difference of almost half a century, the two have become firm friends on the phone.

“Sarah’s a lovely person to talk to,” says Mary. “At first, we wondered what we should talk about – so we started by chatting about what it was like being her age (under 30) and my age (over 70).”

The friendship grew from there.

“I’m very opinionated, so it’s great to have the chance to whinge – and Sarah’s very patient!” laughs Mary.

Sarah, a King’s Church member and former student who decided to stay on in the city, says the regular phone chats are good for her too.

“Sometimes when you’re building a relationship it takes a while to get close, but we hit it off right away,” she says

“I really appreciate talking to Mary and hearing her viewpoints. It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut and surround yourself by people just like yourself all the time, and it’s good to get to know people of different ages and interests.

“Mary’s really educated in history, and I love that. It’s a different side of life.”

As the lockdown eases a little, both of the new friends are now looking with hope towards the future.

“My hopes are really just to return to how life was before,” says Sarah. And Mary has three wishes.

“1) That they get a vaccine and 2) that it works for me and my close ones,” she says.

“And number 3) – I’d like to live another ten years if I can!”

We are pleased to share the first of three blog posts highlighting friendships that have been formed through lockdown on the Sherburn Road Friends and Neighbours befriending scheme. The befriending scheme was established by the Achor Community in 2014, and supports those experiencing loneliness and social isolation in the Sherburn Road and Gilesgate areas of Durham. During the coronavirus we have also been providing shopping support, food parcels, fortnightly letters and activity packs to everyone we support.

The stories highlighted in the blog have been kindly written up for us by Adrienne Hunter from the Gilesgate Residents Association.

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Sharon needed no persuading when she was asked if she’d like to be involved in a telephone chatting project during lockdown – because she already knows how rewarding they can be.

“I’ve chatted to two students over the past couple of years, and even though they’ve moved away they still call me – I say they’re my adopted granddaughters!” she says.

Sharon’s new friend throughout lockdown is Charlotte – the two got together thanks to King’s Church and hit it off immediately.

“What a lovely girl she is,” says Sharon. “We spoke to each other from the first as if we’d know each other forever – we get on like a house on fire.”

The two friends couldn’t meet during lockdown, of course, but one of their big topics for discussion was what it would be like.

“It’ll be so nice!” says Charlotte, who is from Durham and worked on her exams during the lockdown. “I can’t wait – it will be just like when we talk on the phone.”

Charlotte puts their friendship down to the fact they are both chatty.

“Sharon’s a lovely person,” she says. “It’s nice to have someone a bit older than me to talk things over with, and to get a perspective from a different generation.

“The Covid situation made people feel a bit helpless, and that very much still continues, so it’s nice to do something that helps in a small way.”

Sharon and Charlotte are sure their friendship will continue long after the corona crisis is in the past.

“I’d like to be friends with the whole world,” says Sharon. “If we were all friends, there wouldn’t be any of these wars, would there?”