'I was just alone' Ramsgate woman says befriending service changed her life

A woman from Ramsgate says being involved in a befriending service has changed her life.

Patsy Denne was introduced to Gill Ross as part of the Good Neighbours Service run by Kent Coast Volunteering.

The volunteer befriending service hopes to reduce the feeling of loneliness and isolation along older people.

Patsy got involved after both her husband and daughter died and she was struggling with her own health issues.

She said: "All my family had gone and I was just alone with all this worry and death.

"Things were not going well at all with me."

She decided to sign up to the service where she was introduced to Gill.

The pair have since become good friends and meet up once a week to "talk about everything and anything".

"Without Gill, I think things would have been far more difficult for me," Patsy said.

"It gave me the energy to force myself to do things not just sit here and do nothing and it made me want to start meeting people again and it worked."

Jodie Nesling from Kent Coast Volunteering said combatting loneliness is important.

She said: "We're social beings we're meant to communicate and connect with other people and loneliness is just insidious and it's bad for your health, it's bad for community."

The service is encouraging people to sign up to be volunteers as they have hundreds of clients but not enough befrienders.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know