The summer holiday season can be one of the loneliest times of the year for some people.

But support is just a phone call away.

St John’s Caring Callers is a free anonymous service where volunteers regularly call people who might be living alone or feeling alone.

The volunteers call people who need companionship and support – including people whose loved ones live far away. Volunteers often become close friends or confidants with the person they call, but never meet.

The service has been running for 26 years, with 567 volunteers and 582 callers who use the service across New Zealand.

In the Bay of Plenty, there are 21 callers including the Caring Callers team leader.

Dorothy Warbrooke has spent nearly 12 years with Caring Callers in the Western Bay of Plenty as a volunteer caller.

Warbrooke started volunteering because she’s “a sucker for things that need some help”.

“You’re providing something that somebody needs, that is the best thing about it.

“They just like to chat, and you get to know them. The main thing is that you’ve asked them what kind of week they’ve had and what they’ve been doing.

“The man I’m speaking to at the moment just loves to hear from me. He always says, ‘Thank you, my girl’, I’m not young but never mind,” she said.

For those who have no family, at a time like Christmas, the service is seen as important.

“I always try and give them a call sometime on Christmas Day, you develop quite a friendship with them so it’s just something I felt I could do for somebody.

“It can also be just as important for the provider as the client, and is a service that can suit both,” Warbrooke said.

People using Caring Callers often bond with volunteers and feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences.

“I have these two callers and I’ve been ringing both of them for three years,” Warbrooke said.

Caring Callers experiences an increase in people wanting to use the service around Christmas.

“One of them just appreciated hearing from someone because they didn’t have a family. The majority of them don’t have family or don’t have family that communicates with them.”

Niki Andrews, St John community care manager for Caring Callers, said the service started because it was apparent that some people were lonely and needed someone to talk to.

“When we thought about how St John could address this, we talked about how hearing from someone on the phone can really make a difference to your sense of well-being and with that, the Caring Callers programme was born,” Andrews said.

It was decided Caring Callers would be free so everyone around the country could access and benefit from the service that is fully funded by donations.

Andrews said the programme provides vital support to those in need of human connection.

“Each week, volunteers make comforting phone calls, offering companionship and reassurance while also providing peace of mind to families, knowing that their loved ones are being checked in on regularly.

“Our volunteers often foster long-lasting friendships with their callers and have a sense of fulfilment knowing their call is making a positive impact on someone’s life.”

Each dedicated volunteer is trained to provide support tailored to each individual’s needs, ensuring there is safety and respect for the caller.

St John is always looking for people who can give their time and will make the caring caller volunteering process easier by matching volunteers with someone who has similar interests, ensuring there is always something to chat about.

St John receives more enquiries from people wanting to join the Caring Callers programme at Christmas.

People can register to talk to one of the Caring Callers by calling 0800 4 CALLER (0800 422 5537).

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.