By Alison Braganza | Fundraising Manager
At any time of the day or night, we’re here and we listen. Samaritans was open every day throughout Christmas and we’re appealed to businesses and individuals across London to help us be there over the festive period by ‘donating a day’.
Many companies closed for Christmas to give their staff time off to be with their loved ones. We never close our doors. A gift of £1,000 will keep our Central London branch open for 24 hours.
Christmas can be a particularly isolating time for people. It was simple to get involved:
Whether it’s a collection or raffle at your Christmas party or a festive bake sale, we can provide you with fundraising materials to make it a success. Why not try to fund CLS for a half or full day? But of course, it's not just about Christmas, it's also going forward for the future and staying open all the time.
Central London Samaritans (CLS) is the only support service in London open round the clock, 365 days a year. Each year we receive over 100,000 calls for help. Our volunteers provide a safe space for people to talk to us about whatever's troubling them. People call us to be heard, to work through their problems and find positive outcomes that work for them.
Samaritans Making The News
Samaritans' Christmas campaign was featured in the Daily Mirror. Emma Gale was interviewed about feeling suicidal and how a Samaritans' volunteer saved her life when she called in despair. She has gone on to become a volunteer herself.
Jenni on Radio 4
Samaritans Chair of Trustees Jenni McCartney appeared on Radio 4's PM programme on Wednesday 19 December. Jenni spoke about the training our volunteers receive in order to provide support for people who contact them for help.
The programme featured an interview with political commentator and LBC presenter Iain Dale, who spoke to an acquaintance who was suicidal and called him at home after he had heard Iain talking about mental health on the radio.
Click on the link below to listen to the programme:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001mf8
Military awards
Ben Philips, who manages Samaritans military programme, was featured in a film about the Sun newspaper's annual military awards this week. Reservist Isabell Hutchinson won an award for preventing a suicide, and Ben was interviewed and filmed by forces.net, talking about the fact that ordinary people can interrupt suicidal thoughts and help to save lives. Isabell's story is about 30 minutes in.
Click on the link below to watch highlights:
Links:
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