Known across South Yorkshire as The Northern Wine Guy, Andrew has spent years building connections over a shared love of wine – whether at tastings, team-building events or private parties. But in January, he took on an additional role: Corporate Relationships Manager at B:Friend, a charity combatting loneliness and social isolation among older people across South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
As soon as I started learning more about B:Friend, I realised just how important it is,” he tells unLTD. “Visibility is one of the biggest reasons I’m here – letting people know we’re here and the important work we do.”
Founded in Doncaster in 2017, B:Friend has been operating for nine years and is set to mark its 10th anniversary in 2027. Its mission is simple but powerful – to reduce loneliness in later life through two key avenues: one-to-one befriending and weekly social clubs.
“We’ve got nearly 800 active volunteers at the moment, and we’ve had thousands over the years,” Andrew explains. “They visit older neighbours who may not see anyone all week – people who are housebound, isolated or simply without social contact.”
The demand for that support is rising rapidly. “We’ve got an ageing population, people who can’t get out anymore because of cost of living or health issues. There are millions of GP appointments every year from over-65s who just want a chat. They don’t necessarily need medical help – they’re just lonely. That puts pressure on the NHS, and it’s something we can help solve.”
Alongside befriending, the charity runs 17 weekly social clubs across the region – a number set to rise to 20 in the coming months. Far from traditional day centres, these are vibrant, energetic sessions led by staff and volunteers, often featuring unusual activities.
“We do axe throwing, indoor curling – we had a Winter Olympics theme recently,” says Andrew. “I suppose it’s exactly the kind of thing you’d do on a corporate night out. We’ve even done martial arts and boxing!”
Their offer brings a range of tangible benefits, many of which run deeper than you might think. “People might say that ending loneliness is hard to measure or quantify – and you can understand that point. But if you reduced loneliness, you’d definitely reduce the onset of dementia and alzheimers. You’d see a drop in suicide rates. The knock-on effect on health and wellbeing is massive.”
It’s not just the older neighbours who benefit. A recent survey of B:Friend’s volunteers – aged 18 to 80 – revealed that 70 per cent signed up because they felt a bit lonely themselves. “It’s a two-way street. We’re solving loneliness on a much broader scale than people realise.”
A key part of Andrew's role is focused on building long-term, meaningful connections with local businesses. “Visibility is number one, but it’s also about sustainability – creating a three-, five- and ten-year plan. I’m not trying to blow it up overnight. We’re a charity – it has to be consistent, and it has to last.”
However, that doesn’t just mean asking businesses for donations. “It’s not all about funding – though obviously we won’t say no to that,” he laughs. “It’s about integrating. Come to a social club, use your volunteer day, give us your time or expertise. If you’re an IT firm and want to look at our website, that’s a gift in kind. We had a business visit one of our clubs and do a talk, and the questions they got from the community completely challenged how they thought about their work.”
He’s also helping the charity think creatively about public engagement. One initiative in development is the creation of “chatty benches” in new housing estates – brightly coloured benches featuring QR codes and B:Friend branding, designed to encourage neighbours to sit, talk and connect.
“It builds community from day one,” he explains. “And again, it’s about visibility. If someone sees that bench and asks, ‘what’s that about?’ – we’ve started a conversation.”
At its core, Andrew believes the charity taps into something both deeply human and urgently needed – particularly post-Covid, in an era of remote services and shrinking social contact.
“We all had a taste of isolation during lockdown, and it hit older people the hardest – especially those not tech-savvy enough to FaceTime or Zoom. We’ve got a generation of people who’ve quietly become invisible in society.”
South Yorkshire, he says, is uniquely well placed to respond. “This region is amazing at looking after its own. We support each other, we point people in the right direction, and we care. B:Friend is just a bit of the puzzle that you could say has been slightly missed – until now.”
