A new befriending service will be launched in north Cumbria to help reduce loneliness and isolation.
Brampton and Beyond Community Trust has successfully secured funding to set up Befriending Brampton & Longtown Linking Lives.
Thanks to Cumbria Community Foundation, The League of Friends of Brampton War Memorial Hospital and the community, and North Cumbria Integrated Care Community’s Health Improvement Fund, the trust to recruit a befriending co-ordinator and launch the service in the coming months.
The trust said the scheme was a response to research carried out by Carlisle Rural Integrated Care Community, which identified loneliness and social isolation as critical challenges facing rural communities across north Cumbria.
Working with Brampton and Beyond Community Trust, the ICC has informed the development of a service designed to meet the specific needs of residents in and around Brampton and Longtown, where rural geography and limited transport options can leave older people particularly vulnerable to isolation.
The new service will use the proven Linking Lives befriending model, which matches trained volunteers with isolated individuals for regular companionship through home visits, telephone calls, or meetings in community venues.
Linking Lives UK is a national charity that has successfully established over 45 befriending schemes across the UK, providing a tried and tested framework that combines compassionate support with robust safeguarding and volunteer training.
James Burke, Chief Executive Officer of Brampton and Beyond Community Trust, said: “We are thrilled to have secured this funding and to be moving forward with such an important project.
“Loneliness is not just an emotional challenge, it has real health consequences, and in rural areas like ours, the barriers to connection can feel insurmountable.
“This service will provide meaningful, sustained companionship to people who need it most, while also enriching the lives of our volunteers. We are grateful to our funders for their confidence in this initiative and to Carlisle Rural ICC for their partnership and insight.”
Brampton and Beyond Community Trust owns and operates Brampton Community Centre and has a long-standing track record of delivering high-quality community programmes that strengthen social connection and improve quality of life for local residents.
The trust works with health partners, voluntary organisations, and community groups to identify and respond to local need, and is recognised for its person-centred, collaborative approach to service delivery.
The service is expected to launch later this year once the befriending co-ordinator is appointed.
