What do we offer
The Wren Project provides free, ongoing, 1-1 listening support for people diagnosed with autoimmune disease, and in a period of distress living with their condition.
How our programme works:
Highly trained and selected volunteers meet each fortnight with Wrens (participants) over video call
or on the telephone. Volunteers are trained in active listening, and supported by experienced medical professionals.
Wrens have a wide variety of autoimmune diseases with medical symptoms that vary hugely. What Wrens have in common is a similar experience of the emotional and mental struggle of life with autoimmune disease.
Through fortnightly sessions, volunteers and Wrens build a relationship of trust and support. After 3 months, we review the sessions with the option to continue for another 3 months. We offer 3-6 months of listening support at a time. After sessions have come to an end, we invite Wrens into a community of people with autoimmune disease: the Wren Nest.
Our impact measurement shows that this focused, consistent listening helps to alleviate the emotional turmoil of a diagnosis and supports individuals in navigating life with autoimmune disease.
Who are Wrens?
Little might seem to connect an individual with Vasculitis to a person with Alopecia Areata, or Psoriasis to Lupus to MS to Type 1 Diabetes to Myasthia Gravis to Pulmonary Inner Choroidopathy to Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The Wren Project looks beyond the medical label of diagnosis to focus on the emotional, social, and mental impact caused by that diagnosis.
The Wren Project provides listening support to 120-160 Wrens per year. We receive referrals from partners including the NHS and the charitable sector, particularly specific autoimmune disease charities, consultants, IAPT services, and GP practices.
Over 4 million people in the UK live with one or more autoimmune disease. UK Autoimmune diseases are complex, unexplained, and hugely varied and present at any stage in life. We support Wrens from a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, ages, ethnicities, and gender. There is no typical Wren.
“The Wren Project will be a sanctuary and network that will give unconditional support, care and love: an ally to people facing very tough diagnoses.”
— Kate Middleton, the Wren Project CEO