A new Big Lottery Funded scheme was launched last Wednesday (15th February).

The Community Connections Befriending Scheme has been set up across Monmouthshire to help elderly residents who are suffering from lonliness.

The scheme has bases in both Monmouth and Chepstow and hopes to cover the county from Chepstow all the way through Monmouth to Usk and Raglan areas.

The Befriending Scheme aims to compliment similar projects in The Forest of Dean, Abergavenny and Ross, by offering isolated elderly people some company from volunteers.

Residents of cut off farms, houses and villages with no access to transport may just like to see a friendly face for a chat once a week, some help with their shopping, or even somebody to join them at a community class or workshop where they may not have the courage to go alone.

Organisers are keen to thoughtfully match volunteers and those in need, so factors such as location and interests are taken into account.

Monmouthshire is split between the two offices by using Tintern as a marker. Those living between Tintern and Monmouth, including Usk and  Raglan, are classed as in the Monmouth area, and those living between Tintern and Chepstow will be considered in the Chepstow area.

The project's roots are in The Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO), and it has recently been awarded around half a million pounds of lottery funding to support the befriending scheme for the next five years.

"It is a very competitive process" said Mike Walsh from the Big Lottery Fund

"We had 90 applicants and only 30 awards to give. It is public money so we are very careful of how it is used".

The scheme was officially launched from Llandogo Village Hall, half way between the two towns, on the 15th and present at the event were the people that have made this happen, and those who are already volunteering in the area.

Anyone over the age of 16 can become a volunteer and so the group have been even recruiting from local Health and Social Care courses in schools and colleges.

Just one hour per week is asked for, and it can make all the difference to someone's life. The bases for those volunteering are located in Bridges Community Centre for Monmouth, and The Palmer Community Centre in Chepstow.

The centres will provide a drop in service for volunteers, with coffee mornings and informal meetings. At these meetings there are also training opportunities, like training to helping someone recently bereaved.

These meetings are held once a month in Monmouth and weekly in Chepstow.

As well as always being on the look out for volunteers, the scheme is also keen for people to recommend any elderly person that may need some help. As long as the person is over the age of 50, they are eligible for referral.

The group are still looking for volunteers too, and so if you think you could spare just one hour per week to give someone some company and a helping hand, call 01600 710895 if you are from the Monmouth area, or 01291 630524 if you are from the Chepstow area.