Harnessing technology

A £100,000 grant from the Building Connections Fund will see b:friend expand out of Doncaster for the first time, using innovative technology to map demand and volunteer availability to match befriending pairings.

“This kind of mapping is the first of its kind in the country,” Mike Niles said. “There’s no reason why councils elsewhere couldn’t use the same system in their areas.

“With a new member of staff, we want to make at least 40 new pairings a year, and five new social clubs across Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Bassetlaw.