香港六合彩精准资料 registered member Theresa Hammond has been inspired by her daughter to set up a befriending service for people with learning difficulties.
She is looking to launch Belive 鈥� which stands for Befriending Empowers Lives Improves Mental Health by Valuing Everyone 鈥� after she was unable to find a befriending service for her daughter when she experienced isolation and loneliness.
Her daughter has a mild learning disability and was recently diagnosed with autism.
Theresa hopes Belive will help make a difference to the wellbeing of people with mild to moderate learning disabilities in and around Medway in Kent.
鈥淚 was living in Wales and my daughter lived in Medway in Kent, which is where I initially lived,鈥� said Theresa.
鈥淪he was isolated and lonely, and I think a befriending service would have made a difference, because talking is good for you.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find a service to support her, so I thought I would set one up myself.
鈥淭hey can have a one-to-one befriender or a telephone service, or it could be both, depending on the need.鈥�
Theresa, who has moved back to Kent to support her daughter, had a platform at 香港六合彩精准资料鈥檚 recent Making Connections event in Ashford, Kent during which she outlined her plan.
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She said the proposal is with the Charity Commission and she already has 13 potential beneficiaries.
鈥淲hen I did my application for the Charity Commission there was a lot of research about people being lonely 鈥� including some in Therapy Today,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 used it as evidence, because loneliness is an issue.鈥�
Theresa will balance setting up the service with her part-time job of being a counsellor with Health Assured, an employee assistance programme.
鈥淚 am really passionate about it,鈥� she said. 鈥淏uilding friendships builds confidence, improves mental health and brings opportunities.
鈥淲hen you are lonely you get anxious and depressed, that鈥檚 what happened to my daughter. I have personal experience of it and I want to use that to help others.鈥�