Poster campaign means more volunteers needed

Ashford Samaritans are seeking more volunteers to help with a substantial increase in emergency calls after the launch of a new campaign.

Since the Big Boys DO Cry poster campaign kicked off last week, the Queen Street branch has seen an influx of calls.

Now, the charity is urging more volunteers to devote some of their time to help people in crisis.

Lesley Sutton, director, said: “We desperately need more volunteers to help us cope with the rising number of calls from suicidal and distressed people.

“We are proud of our ability to cope with the big influx of extra calls but we do need more volunteers to man the phone lines and to ensure we give the best possible support to those who are struggling to cope with life.”

Samaritan volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life who can offer discretion, reliability, open mindness, and willingness to really listen to others.

The charity offers full training, resources and support to The Big Boys DO Cry poster campaign aims to help men speak out when they are having suicidal or depressive thoughts.

Campaigners have been fundraising to put positive, reassuring posters on buses, in toilets, in pubs, in service stations and a host of other public areas. new volunteers and even allocates a mentor to help through the first difficult calls until people feel confident to deal with them alone.

Lesley added: “Being a Samaritan volunteer is a worthwhile

Statistics show men are almost three times more likely to take their own lives than women and more middle-aged men are killed by suicide than by cancer, heart disease or traffic accidents.

To display a poster in a club, pub, restaurant, hotel, shop or anywhere else contact bigboysdocry@hotmail.com. and rewarding vocation. People get far more out of it that they put in.”

For more information email recruitment@ashfordsamaritans.org.uk or pop into 22 Queen Street for an application form.