CHARITY TLC has recently recruited some more volunteers and is looking to recruit further volunteers in towns and villages over a minimum of a 15-mile radius of its office HQ in Bordon.

Volunteers are continuously required as the waiting lists for TLC’s help are expanding and spreading throughout Hampshire and the Surrey border.

Waiting lists for help cover areas from Aldershot, Farnham and Alton through to Bordon, Headley, Hindhead, Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, stretching further towards Cowplain, Rowlands Castle and Havant.

People in those communities with dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, COPD, stroke and other life-threatening conditions benefit from TLC’s volunteers giving up to three hours a week to support and befriend them.

The volunteers are from their own community or an easy driving distance away.

A charity spokesman said: “Those they befriend are either isolated with a paid carer who can only give them about 15 minutes twice a day for personal care, or those who are being cared for by a family member who has no time to themselves and are in desperate need of some ‘breathing space’.

“A visit from one of TLC’s volunteers can make a huge difference to not only those who are in need but also their family, who look forward to a friendly face and someone to listen and help.

“Family carers are believed to save the government £15billion in care costs. According to Age UK, an estimated five million older people consider their TV to be their main form of companionship.

“One million older people in the UK have not spoken to anyone for a month and 600,000 people only leave their home once a week or less.”

Everyone volunteers for a different reason, so TLC volunteers are carefully matched with the right person and provided with an induction workshop and on-going workshops, if they wish, such as a day’s course on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, nutrition and other relevant topics. All volunteers are supported along the way by the TLC team.

There are also opportunities to meet other volunteers to exchange experiences.

For more information about volunteering and the work TLC does, call (01420) 477231, email volunteer@ hospiceservices.org.uk or see www.hospiceservices.org.uk