HUNDREDS of isolated older people in the county, often unnoticed and chronically lonely, are only getting by with a little help from their Phone Friends.

For Agnes Tew and Sarah Fonzarelli, who volunteer every week for Age UK Oxfordshire, taking up the role is not a burden but “brilliant”.

Both women have a list of older people they call regularly for a chat and a catch-up to keep loneliness at bay, which becomes especially important at Christmas.

Miss Fonzarelli, 51, volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. She said: “There are a lot of people out there that can’t get out.

“I know a few that have lost husbands and the highlight of their day is going shopping because they haven’t managed to speak to people.

“Just asking someone ‘Hello, how are you?’ can set them up for the day.”

The former nurse at The Ridings care home, Banbury, now manages a caseload of 30 lonely older people across Oxfordshire. Most receive a call once or twice a week.

She said: “All of them are unique. They have each got a fascinating story to tell and you don’t know until you speak to them. You won’t expect that this old biddy used to be a fighter pilot, or a physics teacher. One gentleman used to work for MI5.

“On the other side you have people who have been married for 50 or 60 years, then one of them dies and they’re completely lost.”

Retired nurse Mrs Tew, 64, volunteers once a week on Tuesdays alongside Miss Fonzarelli and is responsible for calling eight older people around the county.

She said: “I came out of nursing in my early 50s because of ill health. That left me with some time on my hands. I’d heard of Age UK and wanted to do something worthwhile.

“The majority of the older people are female, in their 80s and 90s and live alone. Most are housebound. It’s just having a voice that you recognise on a regular basis.

“I have one lady who lived through the war and has some wonderful stories.Another was a bit of a dancer in her day so we have an ongoing conversation about Strictly Come Dancing. It’s all very light-hearted and we have a laugh.”

“For people who are lonely a call is a big thing.”

As part of its Lonely this Christmas campaign, the Oxford Mail is seeking to raise £5,400 for Age UK Oxfordshire’s Phone Friends service. This will pay for 2,000 phone calls to lonely older people.

At the same time, 10 people are being sought to sign up as Phone Friends themselves.

It could take as little as two hours a week, and some volunteers even make the calls over their lunch breaks at work.

Miss Fonzarelli said: “I would like to see more Phone Friends .

“We are going to be old one day. Who will take care of us if we can’t get out?”