About Us
In April 2010, the Oxfordshire Befriending Network merged with Age UK Oxfordshire. You can read more about the merger here.
The Oxfordshire Befriending Network was launched in 1999 with a pilot 3-year funding from MacMillan Cancer Relief (now known as MacMillan Cancer Support) and the Tudor Trust. It was originally a branch of the National Befriending Network, which was established in London in 1994 by Nicholas Aubrey, Josephine Speyer and Diana Senior. The founders identified a ‘gap’ in the provision of support for people diagnosed with a life-threatening or terminal illness. A befriender could complement the work of Palliative Care teams and Carer Support Services by offering companionship, a listening ear and emotional support, and so reduce the fear and isolation experienced at what is often an overwhelming time for the individual and their family. The befriender can also encourage a person-centred approach; offer practical assistance, such as supporting a person to attend a hospital appointment; and provide a link with health and social services, or research other sources of help and advice.
The Oxfordshire Befriending Network became a local charity and a limited company in its own right in April 2001, before its merger with Age UK Oxfordshire in 2010.
To find out more about us, please click on the links below:
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