VOLUNTEERS aged over 50 are needed in the Wyre Forest district to help their peers to become more active.

Age Concern Herefordshire and Worcestershire is looking for people to join its new mentoring scheme, Someone Like Me.

Volunteers will help inactive, lonely or isolated people of a similar age to themselves to increase their daily levels of physical and mental activity and adopt healthier lifestyles.

The scheme aims to encourage those who have suffered illness or lost confidence to get out and about and socialise more with the help of their peers - the people most likely to understand their needs.

Volunteers could be asked to escort someone on a bus journey, help plan a travel route or even just listen to their concerns.

Cat Hayward, Age Concern training and ageing well officer, said: "It's not about rushing out and joining a gym.

"It could be as simple as walking with someone to a shop and working out a progressive plan that eventually leads to them starting gentle T'ai Chi."

Miss Hayward explained mentors would not stay with the same people indefinitely but would encourage them to take up their own activities and form new social groups.

"It's about helping people to help themselves," she said.

Training for would-be mentors will be held on Wednesday, November 16.

Volunteers will spend a day learning how to listen to people effectively and offer guidance and can then choose how much time they want to give.

Anyone interested in becoming a peer mentor should contact Cat Hayward on 01905 726652.