Muriel Mowat explains why National Befriending Week, which begins on 1 November, is important to our national wellbeing

Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships to people who would otherwise be socially isolated. The results of befriending can be very significant. Befriending tackles loneliness and social isolation, and can provide people with a new direction in life, opening up a range of activities and leading to increased self-esteem and self-confidence.

According to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) an estimated 1.1 million Britons are lonely and are 50% more likely to die prematurely than people with a good social network, making loneliness as big a mortality risk as diabetes.

“Social isolation and loneliness are akin to a chronic long-term condition in terms of the impact they have on our patients’ health and wellbeing,” says Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of RCGP.

This assessment by RCGP joins the growing body of evidence on the negative impact social isolation and loneliness can have on individual’s physical and mental health.

It is encouraging to note national responses to this issue. The Scottish Government is at the early stages of developing a National Social Isolation Strategy “to ensure a holistic approach across government to problems of loneliness and isolation”. This, plus the aim of the Jo Cox Foundation to bring communities closer together, and the work being undertaken by the Campaign to End Loneliness, provides a national strategic and policy framework within which befriending is an important component.

Befriending Networks (BNs), the national intermediary for befriending organisations across the UK and beyond, has been closely involved in the development of the Scottish Government strategy.

Its 270 members provide befriending for children and young people, families, people with mental ill-health, people with learning disabilities, and older people, amongst many others. The network works on behalf of its members to promote the benefits of befriending, and to co-ordinate the contribution of the sector in addressing social isolation throughout our communities.

National Befriending Week, managed by BNs annually, aims to raise awareness of befriending and the impact it has on individuals and communities.

This year the theme for the week, which runs from 1 to 7 November, is Befriending Builds Communities. Throughout the week befriending organisations are encouraged to share stories, pictures and quotes from their events, volunteers and befriendees. See their stories as the week unfolds by following its Facebook and Twitter pages.

During Befriending Week BNs will hold its AGM and the national conference, find out more about it at Befriending and communities: The role of relationships in building a stronger future.

Muriel Mowat is membership officer at Befriending Networks