Daily Hope phone line marks International Day for Older Persons as more than 550,000 calls are made

01/10/2021

Daily Hope, a free phone line which offers prayers and support for callers, is marking International Day for Older Persons, with new content and a message from Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Almost 20,000 calls every month are  made to the service which was launched during the Covid-19 lockdown, with more than 7.15 million minutes spent on more than 550,000 calls.. 

The phone line originally launched in April 2020, only to continue in response to ongoing demand once restrictions were eased. 

Daily Hope set up by the Church of England nationally, has also been supported by Connections, a Missional Programme to older people based at Holy Trinity Claygate in Surrey and the Christian charity Faith in Later Life.

In his message  Archbishop Justin will say: “Life for many of us continues to feel uncertain in the light of the pandemic, even though restrictions have eased. 

“Some of us have got used to spending more time alone at home, for a variety of reasons – it’s been a tough, tough year and a half. 

“We’re thrilled that the Daily Hope is here for you still, and you can call this free number every day – multiple times each day if you’d like! 

“For some of us getting out to church is still tricky, so I like to think of the Daily Hope as being church brought to you at home.”

Additional content from Andrew Wilman, Assistant Director of Older Peoples Ministries at the Salvation Army, is also being launched which explores the history of well-known hymns. 

Over the year and a half of service, Daily Hope has continued to encourage people across the country and beyond including Australia, Japan, and the United States. 

Since the phoneline launched, users have been able to listen to a range of audio, including the Church of England’s national weekly service, hymns and daily prayer.

Many have messaged Lambeth Palace to express their thanks for the introduction of the phone line, particularly for elderly people.