Rock solid partnership with Samaritans

Rock solid partnership with Samaritans

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Samaritans, the 24/7 helpline service, has confirmed that it has been chosen by the staff of residential mortgage and savings bank Northern Rock, as its corporate charity for 2010. Staff at the bank have pledged to raise much needed funds for the cause through fundraising activities.

In a vote involving the bank’s 4,500 employees, Samaritans - which offers confidential, non-judgemental support to millions of people in emotional distress - was selected as the charity they would like to pledge support for this coming year.

Gary Hoffman, Chief Executive of Northern Rock said: “We are delighted to support Samaritans as our new corporate charity for 2010.  Northern Rock is committed to assisting customers who find themselves in financial difficulty and this is being reflected in our community work. My colleagues across the company voted Samaritans as this year's charity and, with one in eight calls currently made to Samaritans being about financial stress, this is a good choice for us in the current economic climate.”

Northern Rock staff from across the business have a variety of fundraising activities planned, including dress-down days, taking part in the UK’s biggest half marathon, The BUPA Great North Run, and holding Samaritans’ first-ever charity ball.  Colleagues also plan to get involved in the charity’s national awareness day, 24/7, which will be held on 24 July.

As part of the partnership, the national Northern Rock branch network is hoping to twin-up with local Samaritans branches, giving them the chance to learn more about volunteering opportunities. From training to be a Samaritans volunteer taking calls from people in need of the service, to becoming a branch treasurer or getting involved in outreach work within the local community - there is something to suit everyone.

Samaritans’ Chief Executive Catherine Johnstone said: “I am delighted that Northern Rock staff are supporting Samaritans in this exciting partnership. In these tough times, life can be very demanding and the need for Samaritans is greater than ever. Funds raised will allow us to continue to offer confidential support to people in emotional distress, 24 hours a day.”

 

Media contacts:

Sal Lalji, Samaritans - 020 8394 8342 or email s.lalji@samaritans.org 

Jule Wilson, Northern Rock – 0191 279 4676 or email press.office@northernrock.co.uk

 

-Ends-

Notes to editors

Samaritans' vision is for a society where fewer people die by suicide because people are able to share feelings of emotional distress openly without fear of being judged.  Samaritans believes that offering people the opportunity to be listened to in confidence, and accepted without prejudice, can alleviate despair and suicidal feelings.

Samaritans is a registered charity, founded in 1953, which offers 24-hour confidential emotional support to anyone in emotional distress.  The service is offered by 16,534 trained volunteers and is entirely dependent on voluntary support.  Across the UK, you can call Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (1850 60 90 90 in the Republic of Ireland) email jo@samaritans.org, write to Samaritans at Chris, PO Box 9090, Stirling, FK8 2SA, or if you are deaf or hard of hearing use the single national minicom number 08457 90 91 92. Log on to www.samaritans.org for more information. Calls from BT will be charged at up to 2 pence per minute at all times. A call set-up fee of 7 pence applies to calls from residential lines. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.