What is good friends?

Good Friends brings people together around shared health conditions, experiences or situations to provide support, friendship and to encourage people to build trusting relationships, confidence, and social connections. These are all vital ways to improve and maintain health.

Good Friends also provides ongoing lasting support to people who have benefited from our courses or shorter programmes and want to continue being a part of something positive.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

You can see details of our current groups below. To register, make a referral or get venue details call 07944 966 141 or use the sign up link.

Online peer-support group for Bangladeshi women

Our online peer-support group for Bangladeshi women meets once a week for uplifting and supportive conversations. The group comes together on a video call to talk about their week and how they are feeling. Approximately once a month, the group is joined by a guest speaker to talk about health and wellbeing topics such as mental health, bereavement, and menopause.

This group is facilitated by women who speak Bengali and English, and is women-only.

Walking group with ESOL support for Bangladeshi women

We are currently running two walking groups for Bangladeshi women (Tuesday and Wednesday) for a gentle walk, friendly conversation, and to develop their English skills.

Walking group for Bangladeshi women

This session is attended by Bengali women and facilitated by a bilingual speaker. After meeting at a children's center, the women walk around the Wapping and Thames River area, usually walking briskly for 40 minutes. This group is women-only.

Isle of dogs - Circus skills group

We are running circus skills sessions. Each week the group has a great time exploring physical skills like balance and hand-eye coordination through the fun of circus. They also perform a termly showcase to show us what they have learned! This group is run in English, men and women welcome.

What have other people experienced?

“Before our weekly Zoom meetings, I had lost interest in most things but I’m beginning to feel motivated and supported by a good group of people who are now friends.  I hope this Befriending project will continue for a long time.” Good Friends participant

“Thank you for calling, I really appreciate your time given to me. The advice you gave about calling my GP was really helpful. Knowing that I can just talk to someone without judging meant a lot to me.” Good Friends participant

After joining Good Friends, 100% of the participants who felt they did not have many people they could trust felt that this had improved. 100% of participants who often felt rejected before starting the support sessions, felt that this had improved after joining Good Friends.