Samaritans volunteers on duty over festive period

In a typical month the Exeter, Mid and East Devon branch of the Samaritans charity receives 1,800 telephone calls from people in distress - and that figure increases in December and especially around Christmas time.

Those calls - along with SMS text messages, emails and face-to-face meetings - are dealt with by some 100 volunteers who work at the central Exeter base of the charity.

This Christmas and New Year - as always - they will be on duty around the clock.

“Many people love Christmas and New Year with their families and friends, but it’s not the same for everyone. Some people - particularly those on their own - find this time of year particularly lonely and very difficult” admits Helen Crossfield, director of Exeter, Mid and East Devon branch of Samaritans.

Samaritans volunteers will be available around the clock for anyone who needs to talk, in confidence, about whatever is causing them distress. That applies on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as on every other day of the year.

“People of any age, whether they are alone or surrounded by people, can still feel isolated and worried. The message we want to emphasise is that it’s OK not to have a good time, even though it’s Christmas. Don’t put on a brave face - we’re here to help. People can talk to us by phone, on email or face to face” she says.

Over Christmas someone in the UK contacts Samaritans every six seconds and over the last festive period the charity responded to almost 200,000 contacts nationwide.

The contact details for Samaritans this Christmas are:

- 116 123 free to call and will not appear on a telephone bill;

- 07725 909090 for SMS texts;

- jo@samaritans.org by email;

- see www.samaritans.org/exeter for details of the branch.