Local Samaritans say thanks to so many volunteers

Behind every well run charity is a team of volunteers who give freely of their time for the benefit of others.

Drogheda & North East branch of Samaritans is one of those charities that is fortunate to have a team of volunteers who give selflessly 52 weeks of the year to make a difference in their community.

The branch, which was established in 1996, has a dedicated team of approximately 100 volunteers who come from all walks of life and give so generously in so many different ways.

National Volunteering Week takes place from May 15-21, and the Drogheda branch of Samaritans, which serves counties Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Cavan, is using the occasion to praise its local volunteers.

Be it taking calls from people in distress in the middle of the night, fundraising in all weathers, administation work, outreach work, travelling around the country to seminars and for training purposes, these people are the lifeblood of the organisation.

Last year was the busiest in the branch’s history with 29,155 calls for help, an increase of more than 3,000 on the previous year.

Director of Drogheda & North East branch of Samaritans, Marie McCormack, said: ‘National Volunteering Week is a very important event in the calendar as it gives us the perfect opportunity to publicly say ‘ thank you’ to the many great volunteers we have working in the branch.

‘Our volunteers lead busy lives but still find the time to give back for which we are very grateful.

‘During this special week, we want to assure them that their dedication and selflessness is never taken for granted.

‘With calls for support from people in distress heading towards the 30k mark annually, the importance of having a great team of volunteers has never been more important.’

Ms McCormack said no mental health charity can ever have too many volunteers.

‘We always looking at ways to boost our numbers and bring new faces into the organisation to build on what we have already,’ she added.

“National Volunteering Week is a great event for focusing on what we do well in the branch and highlighting our vital service to the general public.’

Meanwhile, Samaritans Ireland is holding a Volunteer Celebration and Awards event in the

Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin on Saturday, May 20 where it will recognise the efforts of volunteers from branches all over the country, including Drogheda.

The aim of the event is to recognise good practice in Samaritans’ branches and show appreciation to all its volunteers, new and old.

It is also hoped that the event will increase solidarity among members, which will in turn help with volunteer retention and maybe even future recruitment!

• Samaritans can be contacted on Freecall 116 123, by texting 087-2609090 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org