Many older individuals report feeling isolated and lonely during the Christmas season, as they may be separated from family or friends.

The charity b:friend has focused on combating loneliness and social isolation in older adults since 2017.

The volunteers have been fostering friendships and meaningful connections, dedicating their time and efforts to create a supportive community.

The non-profit organisation covers South Yorkshire, parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

The founder of the charity, Mike Niles, experienced loneliness first-hand while working in London.

He explained how extensive the issue of loneliness and isolation was in the older populations.

Sara Kopecsni, the senior communications officer for b:friend said: “Mike Niles saw the impact of befriending and knew the negative impact loneliness had, and so he realized that this would be a really great service to set up. 

“He moved back home and set up the charity in his parents’ garage, and it just grew and grew.”

Sara has been a part of the charity for three years.

She said: “I was always interested in mental health because I came across people who experienced loneliness and social isolation.

“I could see how difficult it was and the really, really negative impact it had.

“I liked the idea of helping people in the community and bringing people together with a simple thing but giving them something bigger for the future.”

The charity works with NHS social prescribers, GP surgeries, and social workers who refer elderly community members to their services. 

Individuals may also find their posters and flyers at local community hubs, churches, libraries, and GP surgeries.

b:friend organises activities for attendees to participate in, including crafts, games, yoga and dance sessions. 

While these activities are free, donations are appreciated.

The charity also hosts events and offers creative ways for people to support its cause.

Sara said: “Besides our main befriending project, we always try to come up with creative things because, even though we work with older neighbors, one of our values is having fun and being bold.

“A lot of people think older people are boring, but we know that’s not the case because we work with so many amazing older neighbors from our community.”

b:friend have previously hosted fundraisers, including shows for residents to share stories, an art exhibition to showcase their personal artwork, and a collaborative recipe book featuring dishes from the community. 

Sara said: “This year we decided to do the calendar after brainstorming because it’s something people can buy before Christmas and we wanted to have a lot of fun with it.

“The calendar is a humorous twist on well-known images and images of famous people, so the models are mostly our older neighbours, but some of our volunteers are there too.”

The 2025 calendar is available on their website for £10 starting November 5th.

Each month it includes a QR code that links to a behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind the photos.

Sara said, “We are really lucky that we have such a great community. Whenever we do something there are always people who want to be involved. 

“It’s stereotyped that older people don’t have anything to give anymore, but that’s really not the case and this calendar proves that because it shows the neighbours striking a pose and having fun.”

Click here to learn more about b:friend and to support their mission, whether it’s by making a small donation, purchasing their 2025 calendar, or signing up to volunteer!

For more community stories click here.