DailyHOPE was initially launched in April 2020 as a response by the Church of England, Faith in Later Life and Connections at Holy Trinity Church in Claygate to support older people who would not be able to access online worship during lockdown.
In 2023, Faith in Later Life took over the development and ownership of the line, but its aim remained the same; to ensure that the spiritual life of older people could continue to flourish. Data from the same year showed that DailyHOPE received almost 100,000 calls.
After closing at the end of January 2024, it has been joyfully announced that the service can re-start with immediate effect as additional funding has been secured.
As DailyHOPE is relaunched and refreshed, Christians are being encouraged to share the free telephone number – 0800 804 8044 – in their church and wider communities.
The plan for DailyHOPE is to further develop the range of content and content providers in order to appeal to a wider audience of Christians, as well as older people exploring faith for the first time.
Announcing the return of DailyHOPE, the Chief Executive Officer of Faith in Later Life, Alexandra Drew, said:
“Closing the DailyHOPE line was an extremely heart-wrenching decision to make. I know that it’s been a lifeline to many older people, especially those unable to attend church in person, and without online access to spiritual comfort.
“Amidst letters of thanks, and expressions of sadness at the closure, our prayers that God would yet provide continued, and although the timing wasn’t quite what we might have hoped for, God’s answer has been overwhelming. I’m thrilled to share the news that we have been able to restore DailyHOPE for a further season. Praise God!
“We’re looking forward to welcoming new callers, as well as new content providers from across church traditions, and funding partners, to help us continue to bring DailyHOPE to older people, and others who are staying at home.”
Faith in Later Life is a Charity and Network in Association with Churches Together in England.