Our members tell us time and time again how helpful it can be to speak to someone’s who’s been there and understands the impact of losing a loved one in a road crash.

Our befriender service puts families in touch with trained RoadPeace volunteers who’ve unfortunately also been bereaved by a road crash. We try our best to refer families to befrienders who share similar a experience.

Meet Geoff – one of our incredible befrienders who shares a bit about his experience:

How long have you been befriending with RoadPeace for?

Since February 2015.

What is the best part about befriending?

Building a rapport with the befriended person and sensing that your contact with them is helping. The support that I have received from RoadPeace has been of such comfort, so I am pleased to be able to play a part in what it does.

 Can you share one thing you’ve learned about providing emotional support to a bereaved person?

Don’t make predictions on timescales and outcomes, but try to help the person that you are befriending feel that, through resilience, grief can become manageable as time goes on.

 What would you say to people who are thinking about becoming a befriender?

Befriending is rewarding and the feedback is positive. You will be in one to one contact with someone who is having to deal with a traumatic experience to which you can relate. Keep in your mind that the process is for them not you. 

If you’d like to make a difference like Geoff, please get in touch as we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch by emailing Chris, the Helpline and Befriender Coordinator at chris.daniel@roadpeace.org

Updated on: 26 March 2019