Oxford volunteers have made more than 1,000 support calls to isolated people in the county.

Oxford Hub’s Together Phone Link volunteers have been working to call isolated people and are continuing to make over 50 calls per day to people in need.

The Phone Link programme is designed to help isolated people by giving them friendship and social support with a friendly phone call for those who are self-isolating or in need of companionship due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Oxford Together is delivered in collaboration with Oxford City Council and other local aid groups.

Oxford Hub take referrals from people across Oxfordshire and many of these people are isolated or unable to leave their homes because of the coronavirus and the lockdown.

Vulnerable people are referred and then linked up with a background checked volunteer to make daily friendly phone calls.

Phone Link volunteer, Sarah Johnson, said: “I have really been enjoying my daily chats with Eva and specially hearing about the antics of her cat who is definitely the boss in her house.

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“We both miss being able to wander round Marks and Spencer and plan to meet there for a cup of tea once life goes back to normal.

“I feel I have made a new friend, and it is nice to hear that my calls brighten up someone’s day.”

Oxford Hub have received hundreds of referrals from isolated people from across the county over the last month.

With more referrals coming into the Hub every day there is a high demand for support and the team intends to continue running the Phone Links service after lockdown ends.

Some pairs are planning to meet up once it is safe to do so and share tea and biscuits together.

While some other pairs who cannot meet up after lockdown have decided they will continue the support through the phone calls.

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Emma Anderson, Oxford Hub COO responsible for designing and setting up the scheme, said: “The demand for this kind of support has been highlighted by the Covid-19 situation, but the need for remote social support was always there and will continue to be there even after most people’s lives go back to normal.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people in Oxfordshire who are volunteering to help others.

“Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers we will be able to continue to support people who need it in the future.”

Oxford Hub has also been bringing other organisations and people together to help vulnerable people in the community. The Hub have connected people to help with food shopping, delivering food parcels and empowering local people to support one another.

To sign up and help out as a Phone Link volunteer register with Oxford Together or if there is someone who might benefit from Phone Link support, you can refer them to be matched with a volunteer over the phone via: www.oxfordhub.org/oxford-together

Donate to Oxford Together, and help Oxford Hub reach and support more people across Oxfordshire via: bit.ly/oxtogether