LISTENING FOR CRIES OF DESPAIR
to see other organisations, television and celebrities encouraging people to open up.”
Even throughout the pandemic, volunteers at the Lanarkshire branch – and at 200 others across the UK – have continued to turn up for their shift, albeit in reduced numbers with social distancing and other measures to ensure volunteers remain safe.
Samaritans’ strict confidentiality policies mean that even during lockdown, calls cannot be taken at a volunteer’s home.
This ensures that volunteers who are handling calls and lending a listening ear to someone who can often be in a harrowing situation will always have support from their fellow team members.
This support, and robust training, ensures that they never need to feel overwhelmed.
“When you put the phone down, you do not immediately lift the receiver again and take the next call,” explained Margaret.
“Human nature doesn’t work like that. A great thing that we have in the branch is that you can talk to someone about anything that has been worrying you.
“If in two hours’ time, something is playing about in your head, there’s a team of people you can phone when you leave shift.”
That support network, and the unstinting backing volunteer Margaret receives at home from her husband, also helps her to stay grounded – particularly after ending a Samaritans night shift at 2am.
“Being a Samaritans volunteer has just become very much a part of my everyday life. It’s just something I do and I do not find it a chore,” continued Margaret, who intends to continue volunteering long after she retires from her day job.
“It is not healthy to do more than four hours a week. It has to a part of your life, not to be your life.
“I have a big family. They are not one bit interested in me being a Samaritan because I’ve been doing it for so long.
“Yes, when I meet someone new, they might ask about it. But it’s not something I take home with me.”
Becoming a Samaritans volunteer needn’t automatically mean you have to listen.
The charity depends on other people donating their time by assisting with other endeavours such as technology support, fundraising, publicity and leaflet distribution.
“Normally at this time, we would be gearing up to be involved at the annual Strathaven Balloon Festival, where we take a table, talk to people about what we do and hand out leaflets,” Margaret explained.
“Not only are these events good for people coming to speak to us, they are also a good introduction to people who are interested in helping and fundraising for us.
“We need funds to run the branch and with the pandemic, we are losing out on that now.
“We need people to show an interest in what we do, and we need people to join us – a variety of people.
“So please go online and get information.”
Volunteers also raise awareness of the Samaritans’ vital work by speaking to community groups.
When the Wishaw area was rocked two years ago by a spate of suicides among young men, the Samaritans’ presence in that devastated community was very visible, with volunteers giving talks to schoolchildren and young people.
“Suicide in young men has always been there and, while it is terrible, it is getting highlighted more and more and that can only be a good thing,” said Margaret.
She added: “When you put the phone down or the caller ends the call, you will not know what happens – how the story or situation unfolds – and you spend a lot of time training with Samaritans to enable you to cope with this.
“We would like it to be known that you don’t have to be suicidal to call the Samaritans. We speak to everyone. It is better to speak to us before you get to that point.”