Volunteers Network oversees the Eastbourne Volunteers project and promotes volunteering and encourages people to get involved with their community, reducing social isolation, addressing disadvantage and improving community cohesion in Sussex. This grant will fund a new business phone line and VOIP system to enable them to work from home. In addition, funding will pay for trained support by a local councillor (20 hours per week) who has experience of mental health needs, in order to provide a safe befriending service. Finally, it will go towards funding someone to manage the service (ten hours per week). Initially, the service will be in Eastbourne with a view to expanding to cover all of East Sussex.