We were delighted to welcome David Matthews to our Basingstoke branch this week as part of his remarkable Listening Walk for Samaritans.
On 9 March 2026, we were delighted and honoured to welcome David Matthews to our Basingstoke branch as part of his remarkable Listening Walk for Samaritans.
David, who has been a Samaritans volunteer since 2009, is currently undertaking his second incredible journey around the UK, visiting Samaritans branches to raise awareness of the charity’s work and to fundraise for our services. His visit was a real highlight for our volunteers, who were thrilled to meet him and hear about his journey so far.
Basingstoke is one of around 200 branches that David is walking to during this trip. When he arrived to see us, he told us he had already passed the impressive milestone of 2,500 miles — an extraordinary achievement and a powerful reminder of his dedication to Samaritans.
David’s commitment to supporting Samaritans is truly inspiring. During his first Listening Walk, he travelled an incredible 6,000 miles to visit every Samaritans branch in the UK and Ireland, raising more than £20,000 for the charity along the way. In recognition of his extraordinary fundraising and commitment, David was awarded an MBE in 2025.
It was a lovely visit and a privilege for our volunteers to spend some time with such an inspiring person. We are very grateful that David took the time to stop by our branch during his journey.
We wish David all the very best for the rest of his walk, which he hopes to complete later this year around October or November.