Ref: 30045-18MEN who want to show their caring side are needed to befriend foster children in Swindon. Swindon Independent Visitors is suffering from a desperate shortage of male volunteers.

Under its befriending scheme, volunteers are paired with children in care, and encouraged to build up a relationship and share hobbies.

But a shortage of male helpers means there is a waiting list for boys, who prefer being paired up with men.

Rhoda Lewis, who runs the project at the Pinehurst People's Centre, said children can gain by simply having a reliable friend to talk to.

"Many children have lived through traumatic situations and find it difficult to trust other people," she said.

"They can find it easier to bond with volunteers because they are outside the child care system.

"It means a lot to them that somebody is giving up their own time for them.

"Although they share hobbies, the child really appreciates just having someone to talk to."

The problem is that while the charity has 13 female volunteers, it only has five men.

Rhoda said: "Teenage boys prefer being paired with men because often they have not had a father figure in their lives for a long time.

"We get a lot of boys referred by social services, but not enough men to pair them up with."

The organisation, run by international charity Spurgeons and funded by Swindon Council, finds volunteers for children between 10 and 17.

Volunteers are paired on the basis of shared interests, and usually meet up once a week to enjoy activities ranging from going to the cinema to doing sport together.

Rhoda said: "If you like watching football or enjoy swimming or going to the gym, why not take a youngster along?"

All volunteers must complete a training course covering child protection, the care system and dealing with challenging behaviour.

The charity also carries out a police check.

Volunteers are required to meet for two or three hours a week or for a longer period every fortnight, and the emphasis is on developing a long-term friendship.

Call Rhoda on 01793 615049 for more details.

Passing on life skills

Justin Winter, 36, has been paired with a 13-year-old boy for two-and-a-half-years.

Over that time, the Honda worker, from Haydon View, has helped the boy become more confident and given him valuable life skills.

Justin, who is married and has nine-year-old twin daughters, said: "We go mountain biking, bowling and swimming.

"We also talk about how his week has been and anything that is on his mind.

"He has developed a great deal.

"When we were first paired up he lost his temper very easily over small things, but he is lot more stable now."

Tamash Lal