Tina & Margaret - Compassionate Neighbour
Margaret was referred to the Compassionate Neighbours scheme by Involve Kent, following a phone conversation about her situation. She agreed to be matched, not knowing quite what to expect but from the very first meeting in March 2025, something special began to grow.
“When Tina came in, we just clicked,” Margaret recalls.
That connection has become the foundation of a meaningful weekly routine. Tina visits every Thursday at 2pm, offering not just company, but consistency and companionship that Margaret now treasures. What began as an hour-long visit has naturally grown into two. There is ease and laughter in their companionship.
“There’s so much loneliness and isolation around,” Tina explains. “If you can help someone even for an hour a week, it makes such a difference, and I’ve gained from it too.”
A shared love of crafting sparked a knitting project, where conversation and creativity flow side by side. Over time, their visits have also become a journey through Margaret’s memories. A cupboard ‘like an Aladdin’s cave’ turned into a source of stories, from Christmas decorations to treasured photographs. Together, they’ve revisited Margaret’s rich life experiences, her travels, including a memorable Concorde flight, and holidays in favourite places like Yarmouth.
“It’s been like a trip down memory lane,” Tina says. “I feel like I know all these places now.”
Even when Margaret was in hospital, Tina continued visiting. “It can really drag in hospital, you’re desperate for visitors,” she reflects.
Their relationship extends beyond just the two of them. With Margaret’s consent, Tina is in touch with her daughter, offering reassurance and practical support when family members can’t always be nearby. A simple check-in, a cup of tea, or a reassuring message can make all the difference.
“It’s a comfort for the family to know someone’s there every week,” Tina explains.
Tina often brings small touches from outside into Margaret’s world, borrowing books from the library, picking up fish and chips, or even being gifted a cake from a local café when people hear she’s on her way to visit. These gestures help maintain a connection to the wider world when getting out isn’t always possible.
“I try to bring the outside world in for Margaret,” she says.
The impact on Margaret has been profound. “I love it,” she says warmly. “I really do. I love her company.”
Their visits provide not just companionship, but purpose and joy. They knit gifts for family members, share stories, and always find something to laugh about.
Margaret’s family have noticed the change too. After one visit, her daughter sent a message saying she ‘couldn’t believe the difference.’
What has developed is more than a scheduled visit, it’s a genuine friendship.
“My family accept Tina as part of the family,” Margaret says.
For Tina, the feeling is mutual. “I wouldn’t be without it now. I wouldn’t be without Margaret.”
The support of the hospice team underpins their relationship, providing guidance and reassurance when needed. But at its heart, this story is about connection, simple, human, and deeply impactful.
Margaret doesn’t hesitate when asked what she would say to someone considering becoming a Compassionate Neighbour:
“Just do it. You make a friend. There are so many people who don’t see anyone, you just want to be lifted.”
And lifted, it seems, is exactly what both Margaret and Tina have done for each other.