The Chad Varah Memorial Appeal

Since Samaritans took its first call in 1953, the world has changed beyond recognition. Since that first call, we now respond to over five million calls for help a year through the phone, email, SMS text, letter and visits to our branches.

In 1974 Chad went global and Befrienders Worldwide now operates in more than 40 countries, including those where a lack of basic transport and communications means that people will walk for hours to receive emotional support.

As a testament to Chad Varah’s passion for helping people in distress, Samaritans and Befrienders Worldwide have established The Chad Varah Memorial Appeal. The Appeal aims to raise £1 million towards the urgent modernisation of our services.

The increasing number of calls for help, the growth of new technology, the greater training needed for volunteers and the growing number of channels to contact Samaritans are squeezing the systems that have for so long allowed us to deliver our service to such high standards.

Samaritans and Befrienders Worldwide need to significantly update and integrate our technologies so that whenever and however someone tries to contact us, we are there, ready to welcome them. By contributing to The Chad Varah Memorial Appeal today, you can help to continue the work Chad pursued so vigorously and create an legacy of our founder’s life and work.

Thank you.

‘There are in this world, in every country, people who seem to be ‘ordinary’, but who turn out to be extraordinary. They give their total attention. They completely forget themselves. They listen and listen and listen, without interrupting. They have no message. They do not preach. They have nothing to sell. We call them Samaritans...’

Chad Varah