Gig Buddies Portsmouth make a huge impact in the community

Gig Buddies Portsmouth is a free scheme funded by the Portsmouth City Council to match a volunteer and adult with a learning disability in Portsmouth; with the aim of making new friends and reduce social isolation. It was established in 2017 and currently has 35 matched pairs that go out and share their interests in and around Portsmouth. We have around 100 adults with a learning disability and/ or autism on the Gig Buddy database and they often come along to our numerous monthly group events such as bowling, club nights and live music events. 
 
During the current Coronovirus situation, our buddies are staying in touch through a variety of ways, we have a number of messenger groups off and online and are staying in contact via telephone to keep positive and ensure our buddies have sufficient interaction with the outside world, whilst staying fit and healthy. One of our buddies has devised a quiz for the social media page and we have live music streaming each evening from gig buddies projects in different regions all around the globe. 
 
Gig Buddies Portsmouth has made a huge impact on the people we support in the community, we have had some great feedback by one of our Gig Buddies Mum; ‘Since our daughter has become involved with Gig buddies it has put her in touch with her peers, which is something she lacked previously.  
The main facilitators of this are Mike Harris, the Project Co-ordinator and Alison, the wonderful Gig Buddy, whose friendship and involvement with our daughter has, without exaggerating, made a very positive impact on her, and our lives.  Basically, our 46 year old daughter now has a social life that is not solely dependent and restricted to her parents activities, and she is a much happier person as a consequence.’ . 
 
If you would like to know more please contact our Project Coordinator, Mike Harris – mikeh@aldingbourne.org or visit www.aldingbournetrust.org/gigbuddiesportsmouth. You are welcome to suggest any ideas you have and be part of keeping people engaged during this difficult time. 
 ​