Bute Elderly Befrienders provides a range of Befriending Services designed to improve quality of life, reduce isolation and loneliness and keep older people independent and active for as long as possible in the communities they helped create. Our Bute service is run by a small island-based staff and volunteer team.

Our services include 1-2-1 Befriending, Peer or Group Befriending, Dementia Support, Hospital Support and Information Outreach, involvement in community activities. Our services are made possible through the use of a wheelchair-accessible minibus.

Why they need our service

Bute has one of the highest elderly populations in Scotland: Argyll and Bute has 26% of the population over 65 against 21% in Scotland as a whole, but in some parts of rural Bute this rises to 41% with a demographic profile showing that these figures are set to increase. Coupled with the rural geography of the region the result is that many older people are unable to socialise with others or access local services in the area.

Plan and expected results

Up to 40 older people from across all of Bute, including rural and remote rural communities, will use Bute Befrienders on at least one occasion each week.