Companion services in the Cotswolds

Some of the people who book me do not really need a handyman. They need someone to turn up. The jobs give the visit a reason, but the cup of tea and the conversation are the part that matters. For someone living alone in a Cotswold village, a regular visit from a familiar face can be the best hour of the week.

What these visits are

An hour or two where I come round, work through a short list, and sit down for a brew. The jobs keep it practical. The chat is what a lot of people are really after. Over weeks and months I become a familiar face. People save things up to tell me. I hear about the grandchildren, the garden, what was on telly. It is ordinary stuff. That is the point.

What these visits are not

I should be honest about this. I am not a carer. I am not CQC registered. I do not do personal care, medication, moving and handling, or anything clinical. If your family needs that level of support, the right step is a regulated home care provider. What I do sits alongside that, not instead of it.

Who they suit

People living alone whose social circle has thinned out. Widows and widowers in the first couple of years. Retired people in villages where close friends have moved away or passed on. People whose families live hours away and who only see visitors at Christmas.

The visit itself

I turn up on the same day, roughly the same time, every week or fortnight. I do the small jobs on the list. I sit down for tea if the kettle goes on. We talk about whatever comes up. No agenda, no clipboard. If there is nothing to say, that is fine too. Quiet company is still company.

Villages I cover

I visit from a base in Cirencester. South Cerney, Fairford, Lechlade, Bibury, Northleach, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, Malmesbury and plenty of the smaller places in between. Mileage applies outside Cirencester. For villages further out, a fortnightly visit of two hours tends to work better than a weekly short one.

Pricing

£55 first hour, £35 each hour after. Monthly packages suit companion visits well: Starter £75 (two hours), Regular £110 (four hours), Premium £225 (eight hours). Family members can pay for a parent.

How to book

Call Martin on 0780 317 6290 or use the contact form. It is often an adult son or daughter who makes the first call. I am happy to talk through what makes sense before anything gets booked.