The best friends who have never met | Discover

A helping hand

Flora, 89, who is originally from Zimbabwe, came across the service after experiencing a stroke while visiting her daughter in the UK.

The mum-of-four and former nurse was placed in sheltered housing in London to aid her recovery. However, the unfamiliar surroundings only made her feel more cut off. “When I came to where I’m living now I knew nobody there, and I’d never lived on my own, so I was a bit lonely,” she says.

Her feelings of isolation worsened when during her recovery, her husband of 46 years fell ill back home in Zimbabwe, and died shortly afterwards. “I went back and saw him one last time,” she explains. “But then he passed away.”

A helping hand came in the form of a visit from Age UK. “A lady from Age UK came to talk to us and spoke about the friendship service for people who are lonely. She said that if they wanted, they could have a friend to call them on a certain day,” says Flora. She immediately signed up.

Flora and Wendy – who hold the record for the service’s longest telephone friendship – admit they clicked from the first call. “I was fascinated and I just wanted to talk more!” laughs Flora. “Wendy is a happy person – the kind of person I’ve never heard complain about anything.”

“Flora is an exceptional lady,” chimes in Wendy, who lives in Hampshire. “She is outgoing and we just talk non-stop. I don’t know who enjoys the calls more! Flora is a loving, positive person and is a joy to talk to.”