“It’s given me an identity again.” That is how one person described what our Hearing Help Befriending service has meant to them. It is a free service, it is shaped around whatever the person wants, and right now we are looking for more volunteers to join it.
What befriending actually looks like
Our Hearing Help Befriending service offers friendly companionship and support for people living with hearing loss who may be feeling lonely, housebound, or simply in need of a little extra connection.
A trained volunteer befriender visits at home for a chat over a cup of tea, a board game, a puzzle, or simply some company. For people who feel comfortable getting out, visits can also include a short walk, a coffee trip, or somewhere local and meaningful. The service is flexible and built around what works best for you — there is no set format and no pressure to do more than you want to.
“My volunteer lifts my spirits”
At times I felt like I wasn’t myself, or that I had no one to talk to so had nothing interesting to say. My volunteer lifts my spirits and gives me something to focus on and look forward to.
It’s given me an identity again.
A CDA befriending service user
Why it matters
Hearing loss affects much more than just hearing. For many people it makes everyday conversations harder to follow and social situations more tiring, and over time it can leave people feeling isolated, frustrated, or less confident about getting out and about.
That is the gap befriending is designed to close. It sits alongside the practical side of our Hearing Help work — our network of local drop-ins, where we clean and maintain NHS hearing aids free of charge and hand out batteries. Between January and March 2026 alone, our Hearing Help team supported 1,926 people across Cambridgeshire.
Could you be a befriender?
We are always looking for friendly volunteers to support our community services. If you can spare a few hours a month or more, we would love to hear from you.
You do not need any experience of hearing loss or any specialist knowledge. What matters is being reliable, being good company, and being willing to listen. We provide training and ongoing support — our Hearing Help volunteers recently had a session delivered by the Hinchingbrooke Audiology team, giving them the chance to build their knowledge, ask questions, and gain confidence in supporting hearing aid users across the community. Our thanks to the Hinchingbrooke team for that.
Get in touch
Whether you are interested in befriending support for yourself or someone you know, or in becoming a volunteer befriender:
- Email: befriending@cambsdeaf.org
- Phone or text: 07387 266152
- More about the scheme: Hearing Help Befriending Scheme
- Volunteering with CDA: Volunteer
If you need help with your NHS hearing aids or batteries, or you are simply not sure where to turn, our Hearing Help team is here too — call 01223 416141 or email enquiries@cambsdeaf.org. You can find your nearest session on our Hearing Help page.
Read the full newsletter
This story is taken from Tuned In, the CDA Hearing Help newsletter, which brings together service updates, practical advice, and the full list of hearing aid maintenance drop-ins across the county. Read the latest issue of Tuned In (PDF).
And if you know someone who could benefit from our support, please help us spread the word to family, friends, or neighbours living with hearing loss. Not everyone sees social media or local posters.