Our Branches and Members have been at the heart of their communities for the last 100 years and are as important now as ever.
Newton Abbot Branch is part of the Branch Community Support (BCS) Community.

Social Isolation and Loneliness are widely recognised as having an impact on an individual’s health and
wellbeing, and we know from our research that many who have served or are still serving are impacted.

The Legion’s network of 2,500 Branches are surely in the perfect position to keep people connected and therefore we believe that BCS is so important in offering a friendly face and help to our local Armed Forces Community and their families.

BCS provides the first tier of support services offered by the Royal British Legion and is delivered by our Branches alongside the information and advice, general and specialist support services provided by the Area and Regional staff teams.

Do you think you could help deliver this support?

We can offer you a role as a Telephone Buddy or A Home/Hospital Visitor

Telephone Buddy

The Role
The role of the telephone buddy is to provide comradeship to individual beneficiaries, within the community, over the phone. Through telephone buddies, the Legion aims to reach beneficiaries and members of their families who may experience loneliness or are living in circumstances that cause isolation and which can result in physical or mental deterioration.
Objectives
Your role would be to provide comradeship and companionship to enhance the wellbeing of the person being called. You are only being asked to call the beneficiary concerned. You are not expected to meet them or undertake tasks for them, to provide any form of personal care or to take them out and about.
Where you feel that the beneficiary being called needs such additional support this should be fed back to the Area Team Welfare Team through the Legion’s Contact Centre, so that arrangements for such support can be made through the appropriate agencies.

Home/Hospital Visitor
The Role
The role of a Visitor is to provide comradeship to beneficiaries in their home, in hospital or within the
community. Through visiting, the Legion aims to reach beneficiaries and members of their families who may
experience loneliness or are living in circumstances that cause isolation and which can result in physical or
mental deterioration.
Objectives
Your aims are to:
a. Provide comradeship and companionship to enhance wellbeing of the beneficiary being visited
b. Identify if the beneficiary being visited needs additional support.
Key responsibilities:
• To undertake requested visits to establish an enjoyable and supportive relationship
• To deal appropriately with confidential and sensitive material
• Provide regular updates to your Branch Community Support Representative/or Branch Committee
of the number of visits conducted
• To report any concerns to your Branch Community Support Representative/or Branch Committee
• Seek approval from your Branch Community Support Representative or Branch Committee to
provide a (one time only) gift to the person being supported
• Represent the charity well to those you are supporting and the wider public
• Refer any additional support requirements to the Area Team/Overseas Welfare Team through the
Legion’s Contact Centre so that arrangements for such support can be made through the appropriate agencies.

Training for both roles will be given.

 If you feel you can help please contract    newtonabbot.bcs@rbl.community