For the last 25 years Honiton based charity TRIP have been providing community transport and other services to help reduce loneliness and isolation across East Devon. For the last 10 years and especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, TRIP’s befriending service has been a vital support network for many. As we come out of the pandemic it has become evident that many members, of our communities need to be able to access extra support to enable them to stay healthier and in their homes for longer.
To support these members of our communities, TRIP has extended the level of service it can offer with its new Stronger Together Community Support Service. This service will fill the gap between TRIP’s befriending service and regulated care. You do not need to have used TRIP’s service previously to access the new service.
The Stronger Communities project will be supplementary to the other services at TRIP. The core aspects of the service will be provided by paid staff, who will be supported by a number of TRIP’s fantastic volunteers. Being a hybrid service greatly increases the scope of what we can help with. Our team can help with a variety of daily tasks, such as arranging transport and escorting service users to medical appointments, filling out forms, helping with the weekly food shop, or even accompanying them on day trips or lunch out meeting family & friends. We want people to feel as though they can ask for support with anything that may be troubling them, no matter what it may be. Building a high level of rapport and trust is a central goal of the support service.
Caroline Retter, Community Engagement Facilitator for the new service says “Having been part of the Honiton community for the last 12 years and working in supporting services during the pandemic in a charitable organisation, I have had the privilege of hearing countless amazing stories of how people have coped through unprecedented times. We hear every day how this has impacted on people’s physical and emotion wellbeing and where people are still anxious to go out, even for coffee with friends.
The new service will offer a practical, accessible lifeline to help reduce social isolation and anxiety. This service is accessible for anyone aged over 18 who needs that little extra support. I hope people will contact us and discuss what the service can do help them or if they need additional support from other agencies, we can assist them in accessing this through practical support”