Durham Samaritans have been reminding people to practice their small talk after a survey revealed that more than half of people would appreciate kind words from a stranger if they were visibly upset. Durham Samaritans launched their Small Talk Saves Lives campaign at Durham station on Thursday 12 March, with help from LNER and Costa. The campaign encourages people to start a simple conversation if they think someone doesn’t look OK, either on the railway network or in any other public setting.
The Small Talk Saves Lives campaign, which Samaritans has run in partnership with Network Rail and British Transport Police since 2017, encourages members of the public to make some small talk with someone they think could be in distress. Small talk may not always feel easy to some, but it can make a huge difference to a person in distress. Whether you comment on the weather, or ask where someone can find a coffee, a few words can be all it takes to connect with someone and potentially save a life.
