No need to be lonely or neglected. Age difference disappears
Lonely, loss of wonderful wife after 63 years of happy marriage.
No immediate family, little or no help from neighbours.
Having come across Reading Age UK Befriending service, a visit was soon arranged to meet Maddie Hallwood, the co-ordinater.
We chatted for an hour or so, she asking all the questions one might expect from a professional fact-finder.
A few weeks later Maddie called me again to say she had found a young lady who shared some of my interests and was keen to meet me.
At that meting we talked for some time, at the end of which the young lady and myself agreed that we would like to meet for an hour or so ,once a week.
Claire has been to see me regularly since then and we both look forward to these occasions.
She is 23, and despite the age difference of more than 70 years, when we are together we talk as though we are from the same era.
Her main aim in life seems to be to help other people.
She read French at university and is a fluent French speaker. She spends some 80% of her working day conversing in French to help people, mostly from Europe, with problems concerning UK taxes.
She has reawakened my interest in the language and is helping me to improve my schoolboy efforts!
I hope this will help to ward off dementia!
Reading Age UK, my grateful thanks and best wishes.
Your girl has buoyed my life!
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7 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.What a great story. It could be a problem for those who are older to discover friends of any age. On the other hand, I can really only speak for myself. I have few friends in my peer group AND I'm usually attracted to much younger women. And fortunately - younger women usually find me interesting. In true friendship - age is immaterial. While such relationships may not lead to romance - they are able to meet the participants' needs and wants in many other ways. Apparently, the mutual interests being developed in this experience is quite satisfactory for both participants. It's a win-win situation and I hope it goes a long way. Good luck! It's awesome.
mkeaman
Level 7
Mar 15, 2020
0
My experience of a "befriend" organisation is not so positive. I have a friend who is housebound and apparently out of nowhere a woman arrived and visited her once a week
She seemed to be a nice friendly person until she spread malicious gossip to my friends neighbour who now has no contact with her.
The "befriend" woman has now disappeared after asking for her telephone No to removed from my friends phone.
I am trying to contact the organisation to warn them about this person but without success so far.
Moravian
Level 8
Mar 14, 2020
0
Thanks for telling us this
@Mcflewster Pleased to hear that you have had a good experience. I'm sure the experience my friend had is a one off, but I shall pursuing the matter before the woman really upsets someone.
For men in Australia and I think the UK there is the shed movement.
Since 2017 there has ben the US group
[usmenssheds.com] (ping @bobwjr)
Canada since 2015 (ping @RogerBenham)
[menssheds.ca]
Together with Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
FrayedBear
Level 9
Mar 13, 2020
0
Yes I am fully aware of them. A friend started one in Smithers. We also have a philosophers Club where people happily bullshit.
Oh my.. That's wonderful.. I'm so very happy for you 
Cutiebeauty
Level 9
Mar 13, 2020
0
Wonderful...I’m so happy that you decided to contact Reading Age U.K. ..I wasn’t a aware of them. It’s interesting what you say about the age difference, since I joined my local Trussell Trust as a volunteer four or five years ago, I have made so many new friends amongst them...most of them aged under 40. I find it invigorating being with younger people and it helps to me to keep in touch with what is current. I too can’t see an age difference when we are all chatting, and one or two have become very close friends away from the food bank too. I’m pleased that this friendship that has developed between you and the young lady has rekindled your interest in speaking French, that is an additional bonus.
Marionville
Level 10
Mar 13, 2020
3
Wonderful to know. Et alors, on peut parle français aussi.
Petter
Level 9
Mar 13, 2020
0
Good moaning , Moi un peut aussi,Yessir.
@Mcflewster Tel linguiste!
@Petter Three languages . Pidgeon versions of two languages and schoolboy French. Can you guess what the two were/are?
@Mcflewster English? Creole? Spanish?
@Petter No partly wrong ; ENGLISH as pronounced the FRENCH way (as highlighted in 'Allo 'Allo! TV program) and Pidgeon MANX.
@Mcflewster Ah. You mean two legged Manx? Getting one's tongue round that third leg must be tricky!
@Petter It Is pronounced [quickly]("YOUSSUR'
if you ever visit the I.o.M. It does make one sound like a local and I practice it on the boat.
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