Teachers make new friends too
Meet Eth and Vikki
It's back-to-school season - new pencil cases, new classmates, new starts. For most of us, September is the time of year most associated with making friends. Eth and Vikki, both former nursery school teachers, spent their careers helping small children do exactly that. But what happens when the school gates close for good, and making a new close friend suddenly isn't so simple?
As adults, that skill doesn't come as naturally as it once did. A survey earlier this year found that around 35% of adults have lost confidence in their ability to make new friends as they get older, and a quarter haven't made a new close friend since their mid-twenties. There's no first day of term to force the introductions, no playground to bring people together.
Eth and Vikki are proof that a new friendship can still start - at any age, in any month.
A connection from the start
The pair have been linked through the Link Visiting Scheme for around a year, meeting weekly for a cuppa and a chat. It didn't take long to find common ground - both had spent their careers as nursery school teachers, and both love dancing.
"We hit it off straight away, didn't we?" Eth remembers. Vikki agreed instantly: "It's like we've known each other for a while."
A weekly highlight
Vikki visits Eth at home each week, and their time together follows a comfortable rhythm - tea, conversation, and plenty of laughter. Eth loves talking about the "good old days" with her late husband and friends, especially memories of ballroom dancing.
"She's good company and we have a laugh!" says Eth.
Friendship that works both ways
It's not a one-way arrangement. Eth looks forward to Vikki's visits all week, but Vikki gets just as much from the friendship. She describes Eth as well travelled and often asks her for advice before a trip - though when asked to name her favourite place, Eth's answer came immediately: there were simply too many to choose from.
For Vikki, the relationship has a deeper resonance too. She began volunteering during Covid and spent around three years visiting someone she'd been matched with. When that person died, she realised how much she missed the routine of those visits - and being matched with Eth gave her the chance to build that connection again.
More than a visit
"It means a lot!" says Eth.
"It means friendship and support," says Vikki.
You don't need a classroom or a playground to make a close new friend - just the right opportunity to meet someone. This September, as new terms begin all over the country, Eth and Vikki's friendship is a reminder that it's never too late to make one of your own.
"The link up has made such a difference to my life. I always look forward to her coming each week. It's my favourite day of the week."
Could you volunteer?
We simply couldn’t do what we do without the amazing support of our volunteer family! We are looking for volunteers to give some of their time regularly to make isolated older people in their community feel connected and valued.