Sophie Andrews
The best way to help is often just to listen
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About Sophie Andrews
Sophie Andrews is the CEO of The Silver Line, a 24-hour phone line that provides social connectivity for isolated senior citizens in the UK and receives approximately 1,500 calls per day. Sophie’s harrowing childhood experiences, documented in her 2009 autobiography, Scarred, inspired her to become a local volunteer for the suicide prevention line Samaritans over 25 years ago, and she later served as the organization's national chairman for 3 years. Sophie makes regular appearances as a motivational speaker before a variety of audiences, giving talks about her life experiences and the importance of charity work.
Find out moreAbout This Talk
Sophie Andrews believes that the simple act of listening can have a life-changing effect. As a teenager, Sophie relied on a helpline during a time of personal crisis, and she credits the service with saving her life. The empathetic and confidential support from the stranger on the other end of the phone had a profound impact on her, and it inspired her to set up her own helpline to address the issue of loneliness and its effect on health and wellbeing.
Tune in to Sophie’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn more about her work with The Silver Line, a 24-hour phone line that provides social connectivity for isolated senior citizens in the UK.
Tune in to Sophie’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn more about her work with The Silver Line, a 24-hour phone line that provides social connectivity for isolated senior citizens in the UK.