Week is a ‘Time to celebrate’ for our Samaritans

Horsham and Crawley Samaritans is celebrating the achievements and dedication of its volunteers to mark National Volunteers’ Week (June 1 to 7) and its theme of a ‘Time to Celebrate’.

In 2018, over 17,000 trained Samaritans listening volunteers responded to calls for help and 2,300 volunteers supported the running of 201 Samaritans branches across the UK and Ireland.

Horsham and Crawley Samaritans have around 90 volunteers who offer emotional support to anyone who may be going through a difficult time and around 10 volunteers, who help with branch activities.

Over the past year, the local branch is proud to have:

Recruited, trained and supported around 30 new listening volunteers

Been actively involved in National Samaritans campaigns such as ‘Brew Monday’, where we set up a stand at a local railway station

Raised funds to be selfsupporting.

Forged links with local schools and businesses

All of which has helped to raise awareness of Samaritans and the round the clock support available to anyone who needs it.

Volunteer Kevin Hawkes, director of the local branch, said: “Without volunteers, we simply wouldn’t be able to support people who are in need. As a volunteer-led branch, we rely on people offering their time and are so thankful to everyone that contributes to Samaritans lifesaving work etc.”

Lee is a new listening volunteer with Horsham and Crawley Samaritans, having only just completed his initial training. Most people who to take up volunteering do so with a degree of trepidation, but for Lee 51, this was even more apparent, as he is severely sighted. He describes his vision as being peripheral only - he can only see images outside the point of fixation.

Lee had a successful career working for Tesco, but his visual problems forced him to take early retirement . Although he enjoyed his ‘sabbatical’ period, after eight or nine months he felt ready to start engaging with other people and had a real desire to be part of a team again. Lee felt he would like to do something that would make a difference to someone who was at a low point in their life.

Lee’s sister Michele suggested he apply to do some volunteering with Samaritans. Although he was initially unsure, as he felt he didn’t want to over commit himself and get too tied up, he decided to find out more.

Lee came to an open evening at the branch to see what it was all about and try and find out if it would be for him. He arrived with no expectations and an open mind, but he says he was pleasantly surprised. The room was buzzing with other potential new recruits of all ages and from all different backgrounds. He found the session friendly and very informative – all of his questions were answered by Linda and her team. At no time at all did he feel under any pressure.

Lee was open about his disability. “I didn’t want to put anyone out or cause any problems but at no time did anyone at Samaritans make me feel awkward in any way. They did all they could to make me feel welcome and at ease.”

After visiting the office and asking lots of questions, Lee began the Samaritans initial training course held in Crawley, and was then linked with a mentor in the branch to continue putting his new skills into practice under supervision.

Today Lee is taking calls and answering texts and emails from callers unsupervised. He seems to have settled very well into the branch.

He told us what he would tell anyone thinking of volunteering with Samaritans: “I’d say go for it. A good start is to go along to an open evening to find out more. It seems that there is something for everyone whether you want to be a listening volunteer or support Samaritan. I’ve certainly got no regrets and my sister Michele is now a Samaritan as well!”

Horsham and Crawley Samaritans has a range of roles available to help save lives, from training to be a listening volunteer and supporting people who are going through a difficult time, to getting involved with marketing and publicity or helping with admin. For more information email volunteer1008@ handcsams.org.uk or visit our website www.samaritans.org/ support-us/volunteer/