By Isle of Wight Observer
A conversation between 88-year-old Betty Dixon and her volunteer befriender led to a memorable visit to the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary.
Betty is supported through Age UK Isle of Wight’s Gift of Friendship programme, which matches older Islanders with volunteers for companionship, conversation and opportunities to enjoy the things that matter to them.
Her befriender, Sharon Newnham, spends time with Betty on trips out and during weekly catch-ups. During one conversation, Betty mentioned how much she loves donkeys.
Sharon remembered and contacted Age UK IW to see whether they could arrange something special. Together, they approached the IW Donkey Sanctuary, which welcomed Betty.
Accompanied by Sharon and members of the Age UK IW team, Betty met three donkeys – Thomas, Major and Frankie – and was able to stroke them and learn more about them from Sanctuary staff.
Maria Bunce, chief officer at Age UK IW, said the experience showed how meaningful befriending can be, adding that volunteering is about giving someone time, having conversations and building genuine friendships.
Sharon said: “Seeing how much Betty enjoyed meeting the donkeys made the whole day really special. It was lovely knowing that something she had mentioned during one of our conversations had led to this.”
Age UK IW hopes the story will encourage more Islanders to volunteer and thanked the Donkey Sanctuary for helping make Betty’s special visit possible.
A video is available at iw.observer/betty.