A short history of Evergreen Sleaford

Evergreen befriending made its first appearance in Sleaford at a meeting of the Executive of Churches Together in Sleaford and District on 25th February 2010. The Chairman, Rev. Martin Amery, had invited two guests, Sharon Barke, an officer from North Kesteven DC and Louise Marsh from Evergreen in Stamford. They challenged those who were present with stories and statistics of those who would be living alone and lonely during the next decade and beyond. Keith Maltby spoke with Louise and Sharon before they left to arrange further opportunities to share their important message across the churches of Sleaford. This led to Louise sharing the work of Evergreen with a wider group from which a group of interested people from across all the churches came together to establish what is now formally Sleaford Caring Trust, a registered Charity, but operating as Evergreen Sleaford. It took around 2 years to train all the volunteers and get the arrangements in place to set up our very first friendship and set up the charity. But by April 2012 we were fully operational with our first friendships in place.

What Louise had given us was a professional, well-prepared befriending package, with an appropriate recruitment process including DBS checks, alongside an effective assessment of need for those requesting the service. That package has served us well throughout the years, with the necessary and suitable adaptations as necessary.

Our first official year as a registered charity was in 2012-13 when we started with a few special friendships that were already in place by the time the charity had been approved. In that year we added a further 15 friendships and our area of operation was largely in and around Sleaford but included Leasingham, Heckington, Ruskington, and for odd reasons Ancaster & Metheringham. We received some financial support from the Wilpeg fund in Ancaster and have done ever since.

Our financial supporters from around the area include local churches, and individuals who have more recently become part of Friends of Evergreen, important contributors who help us keep Evergreen going. We were also supported by the major supermarkets in Sleaford and other significant grants made by various organisations with support from the Lincolnshire Community Foundation.

Let’s move on a bit to year 5. By our 5th Anniversary at the end of 2017-18 we had supported our 100th Befriendee (103 in total). 100 lonely older people who would otherwise have had no-one visiting them. That is an amazing testimony to the many volunteers, some with us from the start, others new joiners, meeting on a regular, normally weekly, basis with their ‘friend’. By that time, we had also expanded our geographical coverage to include some new villages as well - like Billinghay, Billingborough, Cranwell, Caythorpe, Martin, Welbourn, Swaton – and more! Around this time, we took on our first and only employee with a paid Co-ordinator for 1 day per week, which quickly became 2. They are the hub of the Co-ordinating Team ensuring all the necessary assessments, reviews, and interactions with our befriendees take place. It is also our most significant expense as a charity.

The nature of that friendship is important. Firstly, that the friendship is two way, and our befrienders gain as much as our befriendees. Secondly, no two are ever alike, just as for all friendships that form, they take on a unique life of their own. Finally, as friendships they last. For some it may never be for as long as we would wish, yet many have continued for years.

Let’s quickly move on to our 10th year. At the end of Year 10: 2021-2022 that 5-year figure had doubled and there had been 208 friendships in total together with a further extension of localities covered with the addition of Ropsley, Dembleby, Greylees, Helpringham, North & South Kyme, Scopwick, Wilsford and Rauceby.

At any one time the highest number of Befriendees on our books has reached 66 but we know that one day it will be even higher.

In summary, we have had more than 220 friendships including those still current. Over the 10 years we have had over 150 volunteers partner with us to deliver friendships to those 220 people and more.

During the 10 years Evergreen Sleaford has been recognised through the NK Community Awards and is regularly sought out for involvement in new initiatives in the town and beyond. Sleaford Caring Trust, Evergreen Sleaford, also plays its full part in the ‘Evergreen Family’ locally and nationally as developments continue to take place.