Margaret, 78, had not left her flat for nearly eight months. Widowed and with no close family, her days were spent alone. She often described her flat as “quiet to the point of sadness.”

Through STN’s Befriending Programme, she was matched with Amina, a 27-year-old volunteer studying counselling. Over weekly visits and phone calls, the two developed a bond that crossed generations and cultures. Margaret began attending community events and even joined a local knitting group with Amina’s encouragement.