Letter: Samaritans need your support

Letter: Samaritans in Telford is entirely run by volunteers who are willing to spare a few hours a week helping people who are experiencing feelings of distress and despair.

No-one gets a salary, not even the director, yet we are committed to providing an unrivalled emotional support service to anyone who contacts the branch via e-mail, telephone or in person.

Although we all give our time freely, the cost of running the branch in King Street, Wellington, amounts to £24,000 a year.

Each year we have to find this money ourselves through fundraising activities – street collections, appeals, manning stalls, etc - and generous donations from members of the public. We don't get any funding from the Government, so are entirely dependent on voluntary support.

If you have a few hours to spare or would like to help us continue our valuable work, then there are a number of things you can do. You could:

• Place a Samaritans collecting box on your premises.

• Fundraise at work by holding a raffle, sweepstake, dress down day, table quiz, race night, boss does the sandwich run, etc.

• Support us with a legacy.

• Provide free or discounted in-kind services for Samaritans e.g. print, stationary, design, advertising or consultancy for a specific project. Perhaps you have a company publication where you could insert a Samaritans ad.

• Inform us of any charitable donation system or opportunities that exist in your company/workplace.

• Display one of our posters or our literature in your workplace or anywhere you think relevant.

• Make a tax efficient corporate donation.

Any money raised will help with our training, phone line, outreach and awareness, and of course allow us to reach out to more people in distress, ultimately reducing the number of people who die by suicide.

Telford Samaritans need to make sure we are open to listen to as many people as possible, particularly in this recession-hit economic climate.

All donations (cheques payable to Samaritans in Telford) should be posted to: The Director, 115 King Street, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1NU.

Felicity Smith

Telford Samaritans press officer