CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PRIDE OF BRITAIN
THIS year, we mark 20 years of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with TSB. Here, we revisit our winners...
Chad Varah Lifetime Achievement winner, 2000
Standing at the graveside of a 14-year-old girl who took her life, the Reverend
Chad Varah vowed to devote himself to preventing the despair that led to suicide.
It was 1935 and it was his first funeral. It was his job to help comfort the family of the girl, who feared she had an STD and would die in shame. In reality, she had just started her period. Dr
Varah stayed true to his vow and founded The Samaritans.
He said: “I made my debut in the ministry by burying a 14-year-old girl who had killed herself. I read there were three suicides a day in Greater London and I realised there ought to be an emergency number for suicidal people.”
Dr Varah began giving talks on sex education at youth clubs and marriage guidance. His reputation for being understanding meant he was soon inundated and he enlisted volunteers from his City of London parish to help.
After seeing the Mirror headline “Samaritan priest will save suicides”, he called his group, formed on November 2, 1953, The Telephone Samaritans.
Rev Varah was 88 when he got the Lifetime Achievement award. He retired as rector of St Stephen Walbrook and prebendary of St Paul’s Cathedral in 2003. He died in 2007, aged 95, but his legacy lives on.
■ Call the Samaritans on 116 123.