The Builders Merchants Federation, which is based in Coventry, has been a major supporter of ours since 2013
Every new Samaritans volunteer undertakes a minimum of 18 hours formal training and about 10 hours of individual digital training. Experienced volunteers do regular refresher training and meet together once or twice a year to share their experience and learn from each other. The Builders Merchants Federation generously allows us to use their premises and equipment completely free of charge for this purpose. The Federation also organises fundraising events on our behalf.
Before the Covid pandemic we used the building on at least 50 occasions a year, so this has represented a very considerable financial saving to us and greatly enhanced the range and quality of training we can provide. Unfortunately we had to suspend our face to face training programmes in 2020 owing to government restrictions, but we were delighted to resume these in September 2021.
1 New volunteers meet at the BMF, our home from home. 2-4 We learn in a variety of ways before gaining about nine months experience of supporting callers under supervision. 5 After a satisfactory formal assessment you've done it! You are now a Samaritan
At a time when mental health awareness is increasing, the BMF is still proud to support the Samaritans by allowing them to continue using the BMF’s meeting facilities
John Newcomb, Chief Executive Officer, Builders Merchants Federation
If you would like to support us too, please send us an email.
You can read more about our partnership with the BMF in their quarterly magazine One Voice. We are featured in the Winter 2018 edition (page 17) and the Autumn 2019 edition (page 74)