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Ready Friends News

Hi all, I hope you and your loved ones are all keeping safe and well. Welcome to your regular Ready Friends update.

24 June Befriending Forum - A Warm Welcome

Ready Friends welcomed 20 participants, who joined the June 24 Befriending Forum from across Reading’s community and statutory sectors. This lively and informative event was themed around A Warm Welcome presented by Ageing Better in Camden – ensuring that everyone feels welcome and wants to return to activities and events. Click on the links below for:
The report
The slides
The Warm Welcome from Ageing Better in Camden

Take care – support for ourselves and others

Age UK Berkshire dementia walks in Reading will be continuing - please see poster for walk dates up until December. Click here for the poster.

Funding

RBC’s strategic plans for working with and commissioning services from the Voluntary and Community Sector – online presentation on 14 July.
Click here for more information.

Community Fund
The UK Portfolio explores new and innovative approaches, and develops and tests new ways of building a stronger civil society.
Click here for more information.

Resources for groups and practitioners

Starting a Befriending Service?
An excellent introductory guide for VCOs. Click here for the guide.

Training, Webinars and Best Practice Updates

Befriending Networks’ Free webinar Q&A Session: Getting back to Face-to-Face Befriending?

As lockdown restrictions ease, is your organisation getting back to face-to-face befriending? This Q&A will focus on sharing how organisations are approaching lockdown easing, how your befriendees and befrienders are feeling about returning or not returning to face-to-face befriending, and tips about how to make the return to face-to-face a positive and supported experience. Click here for information.

Reports, consultations and surveys

‘Oh no, not a group!’ The factors that lonely or isolated people report as barriers to joining groups for health and well-being
Click here for the report.

Exploring the relationship between financial exclusion, loneliness and social isolation in older people.
Click here for the report.

Ideas and Innovations outside Reading

Across the world - UnLonely Film Festival

A selection of short films telling people’s stories from diverse communities across the world. They would be an excellent resource for discussing diversity and inclusion with staff and volunteers in your group. Click here for the films.

Australia - People’s odds of loneliness could fall by up to half if cities hit 30% green space targets
Click here for the report.

Articles and Webinars

Revealed: rise in stress among those working from home. New research finds that those living and working alone during the pandemic have suffered the worst effects of all. The Guardian
Click here for the article.

Take care, everyone, Rhiannon

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