Our History

Circle of Friends began in June 2025 and is managed by Wendy Pfeiffer and Diane Bromley.  Since 2014, Wendy and Di have built extensive experience working with older people in community befriending settings. Their work began with the West Kent Friendship Service, part of Age UK Maidstone, where they were involved from 2014 to 2020. They then continued this work through Inspired Friendships, part of Inspired Villages, from 2020 to  2025.

Both services sadly came to an end due to organisational redundancies. Aware of how much members relied on the support, companionship, and connections they had built, Wendy and Diane chose to continue supporting the group on a voluntary basis until further funding could be found. They renamed the service Circle of Friends to reflect its community-led focus.

In September 2025, together with their friend and long-time supporter Jamie Bunce, they formed Circle of Friends as a Community Interest Company (CIC). Jamie had been a constant presence since first meeting Wendy in 2018, sharing a strong belief that doing the
right thing and building successful businesses should go hand in hand. His encouragement, practical support and steady belief in the importance of friendship and community helped make the transition to a CIC possible, ensuring Circle of Friends could continue in a more
stable and sustainable way for the long term.