Samaritans
Things on your mind?

Samaritans statistics

  • Samaritans consists of 199 branches, Irish and UK Festival Branches and a Correspondence branch

  • 18,179 volunteers

  • 2,402,315 telephone contacts in 2008

 

Did you know..?

  1. Samaritans took its first call on 2nd November 1953. Its original phone number was MAN 9000. Read more about Samaritans history

  2. Samaritans was the first 24 hour telephone helpline to be set up in the UK and has helped many of the other helplines that exist today through its experience.

  3. Samaritans telephone helpline was started by the late Prebendary Dr Chad Varah with one man, one phone and one room.

  4. The data held centrally shows that since 1984 Samaritans has received over 63 million contacts in which people felt able to speak, type or write.

  5. The Samaritans UK number 0845 7909090 has the most complex Calling Plan in the UK.

  6. The biggest branch is Central London, which currently has 405 active volunteers. It is also the oldest branch.

  7. The smallest branch is Stornoway in Scotland, which currently has 12 volunteers.

  8. Our email emotional support service started in 1994 and currently there are 193 Samaritans branches providing the service via email (at the end of 2008).

  9. Our SMS emotional support service started in 2002 and currently there are 32 Samaritans branches providing the service via SMS (at the end of 2008).

  10. Samaritans branches are spread across the UK and Republic of Ireland, from Truro in the south west of England to Caithness in the north of Scotland, and from Lowestoft in the east of England to Tralee in the west of Ireland. In addition, there are branches on the Isle of Lewis, the Isle of Man, Orkney, Shetland, Isle of Wight, Guernsey and Jersey.

  11. Festival branch in England and Irish Festival Group ensure that even if you are in a muddy
    field in the middle of nowhere and your mobile is not working, Samaritans unique listening and emotional support service is available.

  12. In 2008, Samaritans branches in the UK and ROI provided support to 168 prison establishments. Listener statistics collated for the Home Office in 2008 reveal that almost 1,500 Listeners were trained in 143 establishments in England and Wales. The Listeners responded to approximately 100,000 contacts.

  13. In 2008, over 150,000 people were informed about Samaritans service through outreach and public awareness work by Samaritans branches.

  14. Since 2003 Samaritans External Training Services has trained over 5,000 people in handling difficult contacts, enhanced communication skills and managing stress in the workplace.

  15. In addition to its activities in the UK and Republic of Ireland, Samaritans supports information sharing between over 400 affiliated centres in 39 countries and shares these combined experiences in the international arena, to promote best practice. For more information visit www.befrienders.org

 

More information

If you would like more information about Samaritans, please email stats@samaritans.org. If you're working in the media and would like to speak to someone about Samaritans please contact the Press Office on +44 (0)20 8394 8300.

You can also download the Information Resource Pack 2009 for more statistics about Samaritans.