Celebrating 25 years of friendship

This week we gathered our volunteers together at Wokingham Cricket Club to celebrate 25 years of friendship at The Link Visiting Scheme! The occasion filled us with immense pride and gratitude to celebrate the volunteers who have selflessly dedicated their time, effort and compassion to the Link Visiting Scheme over the years. The event was a chance to honour not only the time that has passed but also the impact we have made on countless lives.

Over the past quarter of a century, The Link Visiting Scheme has flourished into a beacon of hope and companionship, connecting individuals in need with committed volunteers. We have become a lifeline for those who desperately needed connection and you are all testament to the power of human kindness.

Our impact goes beyond individual visits too. We have organised a wide variety group activities that foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie. We have held wonderful summer and christmas parties, delicious lunches, at the pub on Mondays and our brilliant monthly community kitchen and of course on Christmas Day.

We’ve run hundreds of bowls sessions, chair yoga groups, we’ve enabled friendship groups, we’ve got people enjoying nature, we’ve helped those living with dementia to connect, we have singing, crafts, quizzes, we’ve held reading groups, we’ve taken people on outings, held tea parties and helped people connect online.  

We point people in the right direction too, helping connect with services. In just the last year we’ve done this 640 times! We make hundreds of phone calls to people waiting for a volunteer, we send out newsletters, birthday cards and cards of condolence.

We’ve connected volunteers with older people nearly 2000 times. We’ve worked with hundreds and hundreds of volunteers and thousands of older people and we’ve forged deep and lasting connections.

We are not a charity that is short-term, we are there for the nitty gritty, for the long haul, for life’s ups and downs for the big transitions and for the end of life too.

And behind every volunteer match, every group activity, every training session, every support group, and every piece of transport arranged,  there is a staff member who invests their heart and soul into making it happen. They are the masterminds who meticulously coordinate the logistics, handle administrative tasks and provide guidance and support to both our volunteers and the individuals we serve.

Their expertise extends far beyond their job descriptions. They are the problem solvers, finding innovative solutions to challenges that arise. They are cheerleaders, providing encouragement and motivation to our volunteers when the road gets tough. They lead by example, fostering a culture of compassion, teamwork, and mutual respect. We thank them, each one!

Our volunteers have shown that a single act of compassion, a friendship formed, a listening ear, focused time and attention can have a ripple effect touching lives far beyond what we can comprehend. It humbles us every single week as we hear the stories, the impact and the difference made.

Here’s to the next 25 years of making a difference at The Link Visiting Scheme!