After several months of talking to Mr M over the phone, we decided to meet in real life. This was definitely worth it as Mr M shared he felt much more at ease talking to me face-to-face and laughing together.

It turned out Mr M had lived in the neighbourhood for over 30 years and he recollected fondly the times when he could walk to and around Ally Pally. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case as he is less mobile.

I would highly recommend befriending an elderly person in your community. Of course, one way to do this is via Good Gym. You can get a coach, which must be a great way to keep fit and do some good.

Another way is to directly support charities like Age UK that have appealed for more local volunteers to help with telephone/in-person befriending during Covid19 lockdown. For more information about how to do so in Barnet, please, visit: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/barnet/get-involved/volunteer/