Long-term London Irish Centre service user, Ken, and volunteer, Rob, were matched as a telephone befriending pair at the beginning of the pandemic. They were matched due to both being from Dublin as Ken enjoyed talking about growing up in the heart of the city.

A strong friendship quickly formed between the pair over the course of regular phone calls as they bonded over Dublin, GAA and football.

As a new job brought Rob back to Dublin, he continued calling Ken regularly while sending photos and videos of Dublin and the area he grew up in over to Ken.

As restrictions lifted, Rob was able to make a trip to London and they were able to meet face-to-face for the first time at the London Irish Centre.

“It was amazing to put a face to a voice after speaking on the phone for so long. We’ve really developed a great friendship through the pandemic and it was lovely to finally meet in-person,” said Rob.

When asked what ‘befriending’ means to him, Ken said: “It means a lot to me, I look forward to the calls and we have a laugh. I get on well with him”.