It was on November 2, 1953, that Chad Varah, a vicar and writer-cartoonist, answered the first ever call to a brand new helpline for people contemplating suicide.
Since then, Samaritans have answered more than 134 million calls from people struggling to cope and they now answer a call for help every 10 seconds, with volunteers supporting those across the UK who are struggling with their mental health.
David Moyles is the Director at York Samaritans and told GB News that 70 years on, the charity’s services are still as vital as ever.
He said: “One man, one telephone, one room to 201 branches, 23,000 volunteers, 134 million calls we’ve taken over the 70 years and 3 million calls, you know, a year, and 10,000 calls a day.
An image of charity workers from SamaritansGBN“Clearly the service is needed and we’re extremely proud that it’s 70 years and we’re proud of the service that we deliver.
“Our aim is to get people to think about options that will enable them to cope with the particular issues that are troubling them.”
It’s the mission of Samaritans for fewer people to die by suicide, but David says that the charity is there to support people as soon as they begin to feel low.
“The perception might be that Samaritans is a charity just for people who are feeling suicidal, but it’s very much not just that,” he said.
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David Moyles is the Director at York Samaritans
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“We want to talk to people early on when they’re starting to feel rough, when they’re starting to feel bad, when their life is just not going in the direction they want it to go in.
“We want them to talk to somebody, it doesn’t have to be us, but if you have got nobody to talk to, we will be there, we will talk to you, we will listen to the issues you have got going on in your head and we will try and find the best options for you.”
A Samaritans branch first opened in York in October 1967 and back then it was one of just 75 branches.
Now there are over 200 branches in locations across the UK and Ireland and the volunteers are the heart of the charity, not just on the phone, but also as part of face-to-face outreach groups within communities.
An image of a Samaritans leaflet
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Judith Kirk, Deputy Director for Outreach at York Samaritans, told GB News: “It’s so important that folks know that we are here as a listening service to listen to people at moments in their lives which they’re finding particularly difficult, and that we are here for them, and the outreach events enable us to promote that.
“And you’re dealing with folk on the phone who are in very, very difficult situations and need that listening ear, and I find it’s a very humbling experience and a privilege to be part of York Samaritans.”
Even though calls remain the core of the confidential service, communication methods to contact the Samaritans has developed over its seven decades.
Colin Jackson, Deputy Director Marketing and Communications at York Samaritans said: “At the very beginning it was just one person and a telephone and now we’ve evolved.
Another image of Samaritans volunteers
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“Obviously, digital platforms have become more abundant, so we now have an online chat service which is gradually being rolled out.
“At the moment it’s just in the evenings but there’s the ambition for it to be a 24/7 service, but we still use more traditional methods so people can send us an email, but they can also write to us as well.”
From when they began to now, Samaritans across the nation are here to listen and to save lives 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Anyone can call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org, where more information can also be found on volunteering and fundraising for the charity.