Muriel - Befriending

My name is Muriel and I have been a befriender since October 2019. 

I have had 9 years of sadness , worry and ill health and decided I needed to do something to lift my spirits and help someone else at the same time. I picked a strange year to do this as I had to shield for 18 weeks and had only begun getting to know the lady I befriend when we all went into lockdown. 

I am married with a daughter and a son and 3 beautiful grandsons, all aged 7, who are the loves of my life. 

During lockdown, whilst shielding, I kept in touch with the boys by zoom calls on my phone but I missed seeing them very much. 

I have been given an I Pad by the ED befrienders so now I can see them so much better and I can do Zoom yoga in my house with my yoga class. After being immobile for over a year I find being able to do exercise this way has improved my mood and my mobility. I am still learning to use the I Pad but I am really enjoying the challenge and plan to Zoom the lady I befriend as soon as she has it on her tablet. 

I have loved my befriending experience so far which included Christmas in February and some training  nights and weekly visits to the lady. I have kept in close contact with my lady by phone during lockdown but as she lives alone I know a personal visit is so much better and can’t wait to be able to do that again. We have lots of laughs on the phone and I have popped my head round her window a few times just to check in on her. Roll on some form of normality coming back into our lives in 2021. 

Thank you ED befrienders for all your support during lockdown, for my I pad and the other gifts of calls, catch ups and welcome support during, what for all of us, has been a most unusual year. Stay safe everyone.

Muriel x