Audrey, 53, from Alloa, is a volunteer befriender with Help at Hand Befriending. She was matched with Mouyra, 87 also from Alloa, earlier this year and the pair quickly bonded over their shared love of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Audrey said: “I decided to become a volunteer befriender because I want to give something back and I knew there was someone out there in need of someone to take time, to just chat, share a coffee or to take them out to events or run errands. Mouyra and I quickly hit it off and in our first meeting when we discovered a shared love of Strictly. Mouyra is an expert ballroom dancer so she shows me the moves and now because of her I know what a ‘fleckerl’ is! We are both avid fans of Strictly Come Dancing, and have lots to talk about as we often meet on a Saturday before the big show. Mouyra is also not so secretly in love with Brendan Cole!
“We often meet to go for a coffee or just to chat. If you ask me why I enjoy it, well I have met a lovely lady who has lots of stories to tell of a time I don’t know. I enjoy her company and we go to places I would never normally be, last week we were at a country dancing afternoon tea where she met old friends. Mouyra enjoys the company and the conversation and the chance to go somewhere new if she wants to, all of that along with the glitter and glam of our favourite programme. I think befriending can be a real benefit to both befriendee and volunteer alike and I’m glad I decided to get involved.”
To find out which volunteering opportunities are available in your area, check out our opportunity finder.