Chris is honoured for 16 years of befriending
A DEDICATED Greenock befriender has been praised for his tireless commitment to helping people left feeling lonely.
Chris Robbins has been volunteering in the area for more than 16 years and in that time he has faithfully supported lots of people.
To mark National Befriending week, Chris was honoured by the team at Inverclyde Community Development Trust.
Each week he gives up his time to help people who are socially isolated - and is now the longestserving volunteer at Trust Befriending.
Chris, 76, says being a befriender is a hugely satisfying role.
He added: “It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m contributing to the community and it’s quite nice to say to people that you do it.
“It’s always quite exciting when you meet new people.”
Originally from Hertfordshire, Chris and his wife Ann — who is also a befriender — moved to Greenock in 1989.
Chris worked as a scientist at the ordnance factory in Bishopton for many years and when he retired, he decided to do something which involved making a difference.
He said: “When I gave up work, it gave me 40 hours a week to play with and I knew I had to spend my time with something.
“I wanted to do something where I was putting something back into the community.
“I walked into a local library and asked what I could do to help and it all just went from there.”
Chris spends two hours a week befriending, going walking with people or out in the car for a drive, grabbing coffees and going to the shops.
He said: “It’s something to look forward to in the week, for me and for them.
“Being a volunteer shows people that you really want to be there for them as there’s no money involved.”
Chris said befriending helps whole families, not just individuals, as it provides respite.
The committed volunteer intends to keep on helping people feel more connected to the community for as long as he can.
Chris added: “I’m very proud to say that I’m a befriender and that I help people who are lonely and isolated.
“I’m not anticipating stopping anytime soon.”
Befriending support worker Alison Keir says the length of time Chris has volunteered for shows how much he enjoys it.
She added: “Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships to individuals who would otherwise be socially isolated.
“Spending even a small amount of time to lift someone’s spirits should never be underestimated.
“Sometimes the befriender is the only person someone will see in a week.
“There’s a whole spectrum of different reasons why people befriend and doing it can change a person’s whole outlook on life completely.”
Trust Befriending runs the volunteering service on behalf of Inverclyde Council and Inverclyde Health & Social Care Partnership.
The community development trust also runs a befriending service through Supportive Communities — a project which helps refugees settle in Inverclyde.
To find out more about befriending, contact project coordinator Karen Wilkie on 01475 553366.