Your Health Choices West Midlands Senior Special | Page 8

The charity, which relies entirely on donations
in order to keep the helpline running 24 hours a
day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, offers
information, advice and friendship. Dame Esther
said:
“Since the death of my husband Desmond Wilcox,
I know what it’s like to feel lonely – and so I also
know what a difference it makes to be able to
speak to a friendly voice.”
“Many people who call The Silver Line have led
fascinating lives but now find themselves alone,
often because they have lost a partner or other
loved one.”
“There is still a stigma to admitting you’re lonely,
but I believe we should all be honest about our
loneliness, so that others can help.”

ONE MILLION CALLS AND COUNTING....
In August, The Silver Line received its one millionth call to
the helpline since the national launch in November 2013.
The millionth call came on a record-breaking day for the
24-hour helpline with over 1,600 calls received from older
people, out-stripping the previous highest number of calls
on New Year’s Day 2016. Over two-thirds of calls to the
helpline are made at night or at weekends – The Silver Line
is there when other services for older people aren’t – and
over half say they literally have no one else to speak to.
The growing demand from lonely older people means The
Silver Line now needs to raise £1.65 million to pay for the
night-time and weekends service. The charity says that
without more public donations the vital service may have
to close.
Just £5 pays for a call from an older person to the helpline.
If you would like to make a donation, please call: 020 7224
2020 or visit: www.thesilverline.org.uk/donate

In addition to the charity’s helpline, services offered
by The Silver Line include:
•

•
•

Telephone friendship: a weekly 30-minute chat
on the telephone with a volunteer Silver Line
Friend who is matched to an older person based
on similar interests;
Silver Letters: an exchange of regular letters
between an older person and a volunteer; and
Silver Circles: a regular group call on a range of
subjects that interest the callers.

If you are interested in joining one of the services, or you would like
to find out more, please call the helpline on:

0800 4 70 80 90
or visit:

www.thesilverline.org.uk
COULD YOU GIVE JUST 30 MINUTES A WEEK?

The Silver Line
Founded by Dame Esther Rantzen,
The Silver Line is the only free,
national and confidential helpline
for older people, open every day
and night.
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With hundreds of Silver Liners (older people) waiting for a friendship
call, The Silver Line urgently needs more volunteer Silver Line
Telephone Friends. Training for the role is quick and easy, and once
matched, you will need to give just 30 minutes a week to chat to a
Silver Liner on the tele