Not having someone to talk to regularly about the difficulties and challenges of an eating disorder can be lonely and isolating. By being able to speak to our Beat befrienders, we are hoping that this service will reduce isolation experienced by those affected by an eating disorder. Beat’s befrienders are volunteers who have recovered from their own eating disorder and are aged between 18 – 35 years old.

Our volunteer befrienders have been trained by Beat, and will provide one-to-one online peer support in the form of 1-3 emails per week. The role of a befriender isn’t to tell you what to do or to give direct advice, but rather to offer a listening ear, provide encouragement and signpost other services that may be helpful. Our volunteers are not medically trained and this service should not be in replacement of professional support.

Your safety is our priority so emails will be sent/received via our central email address and will be moderated by Beat staff. Emails will remain confidential unless we believe someone is at risk of significant harm. You can find out more about when we might break confidentiality in our confidentiality statement.