Partner: Berwickshire Housing Association
Community Benefit Initiative: BeFriend
About the project
The BeFriend service is an initiative that Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA) developed in 2012 to address loneliness and isolation amongst older residents in Berwickshire and Kelso. A key aim of the service is to help befriendees re-engage with the wider community, develop new interests and meet peers of a similar age.
Being situated in a rural location adds further complications, especially for older people, as they typically don’t feel as confident and are naturally anxious when meeting new people or going places on their own, which can impact their mental and physical health and wellbeing.
BHA has long recognised their crucial role in not only providing a safe, warm and affordable home but also creating opportunities for community engagement and inclusion, particularly for their older residents. BeFriend enables people over 65 to explore their local area, meet new people and participate in a range of activities, which has been transformative for the wellbeing of the befriendees.
Volunteers can visit people at home or speak to them over the phone as frequently as the person requires. As well as accompany participants to get involved in walking, sports, visiting shops, or interacting in other social events.
The community befriending service supports people comfortable in larger settings by offering the opportunity to participate in wider groups and get involved in a range of activities, excursions and days out while making friends and getting the most out of life through a supportive and encouraging network of people.
Community impact
For many older people who previously lived in isolation, this service is a lifeline and vital for the sustainability of the community.
There have been many opportunities created by this service, it’s given people a genuine friend that they can share conversations on the phone, discuss interests or meet up with regularly. These interactions are meaningful to the befriendees, helping them develop confidence and an appetite to participate and interact in activities, accompanied by the support of the volunteer befrienders.
Some older people have fallen into a life of isolation through no fault of their own, a combination of factors has resulted in them being alone, caused by the death of loved ones, falling away from friends and family or just because sometimes life can get in the way.
Volunteers have generously used their spare time to support befriendees, helping them build friendships and connect with others of a similar age.
How the funding has been used
The community befriending service is a popular part of the BeFriend programme. It provides the opportunity for people to build friendships, participate in activities and visit new locations as a group of individuals looking to maximise a fun and fulfilling life. The rebate that was awarded to BHA was used to assist with the minibus transportation costs including rental, fuel and driver expenses.
Most of the core funding for this service comes from Berwickshire Housing Association and the National Lottery Community Fund. This steadfast support has helped the BeFriend service become a cornerstone of community support for older people in Berwickshire. However, additional funding is needed to maintain and expand its community programmes to match increasing demand, especially the cost of community transport.
There has been a noticeable decrease in funding available, adding to concerns for its future. It’s clear the impact would be widespread if this service was withdrawn as many residents rely on it. BHA has made great strides to ensure this initiative is a success, reflecting how meaningful community transport and shared experiences are vital to the hundreds of older people the service supports.
Towards the end of 2025, Berwickshire Housing Association were awarded a small rebate from the SPA Community Benefit Fund for the BeFriend service that they operate. This was generated from BHA’s use of SPA frameworks.
Organisations that generate a rebate from their framework usage are now required to apply for this through the SPA Community Benefit Fund. The nominated project must align with the social value wheel, which sets out all of the priority areas that can be funded through the scheme. If successful, the funds will be distributed to the organisation and ongoing support will be provided by SPA for measurement and social value monitoring.
As a committee partner, BHA are entitled to an annual £10,000 grant. In 2020, the BeWell project was launched as a community based early intervention project for BHA tenants. In the last five years, the BeWell programme has been awarded a total of £60,000 to support this tenancy sustainment initiative aimed at reducing tenancy breakdown and improving mental health by providing specialist mental health support in partnership with award winning charity, Penumbra.
The BeFriend service is always looking for volunteers to become part of the team. Spaces are open for anyone above the age of 18 who has some spare time available to support the service. If you are interested in becoming a BeFriend volunteer, you can complete the online application form on the BHA website.
Testimonials
“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support from the SPA Community Benefit Fund, which has enabled us to deliver meaningful services that are transforming the lives of our tenants and Berwickshire residents. The encouragement and support from SPA has been crucial in giving us the space and funds to pilot initiatives that are improving community engagement and connection by having the interest of our tenants at the heart. By facilitating meaningful connections and social excursions, the impact on our residents' confidence and mental wellbeing has been life changing. To add to this, our partnership with SPA began in 2020 over the course of this duration £60,000 has been channelled into our BeWell programme, enabling us to deliver specialist mental health support that reduces tenancy breakdowns and ensures our community remains resilient and inclusive.
- Dougie Paterson, Social Innovation Lead, Berwickshire Housing Association
"When my husband died a couple of years ago, I didn’t know how I would cope without my forever friend. I was rarely leaving the house and felt extremely isolated. My daughter spoke to a staff member of BHA who encouraged me to join BeFriend. Since then, I have found a new lease of life and have made real friends.”
“This service is so important to me. Having the bus pick me up and drop me off takes away any pressures and lets me enjoy activities.”
- Participants of BeFriend Service
About the SPA Community Benefit Fund
As an elected SPA Committee partner, Berwickshire Housing Association is one of several organisations that are active users of SPA’s diverse range of procurement solutions developed for the built environment.
Each of the committee partners inherently has a deep understanding of SPA solutions and how they operate, gained from their experience which places them in a strong position to provide valuable and meaningful contributions and discussions that shape SPA’s direction and vision.
Acknowledging the valuable committee contributions that influence SPA’s direction, each of the committee partners is eligible to apply for an annual grant to revitalise local areas and activate community development as part of the SPA Community Benefit Fund.
Additionally, SPA provides eligible partners with a rebate that is generated from framework usage. The more frequently an organisation uses SPA’s solutions across specific frameworks, the greater the value of the rebate. Public sector partners that have generated a rebate can apply for this through the SPA Community Benefit Fund, which is managed and distributed by Lintel Trust.