James Duddridge MP presents Southend Samaritans with a cheque for £1,581.
Mr. Duddridge raised the money from sponsorships for running the London Marathon in October. In naming the Samaritans as a worthy recipient, he said: “I wanted to show how how appreciative I am for the work all those at Southend Samaritans carry out. At a time when so many people are in need of emotional support, they ensure that those who contact them at any hour are listened to and helped. I know that this can make a real difference to their lives”.
Ann Hawkins, Vice Director of Southend Samaritans, said: ‘We are very grateful to Mr. Duddridge and all who support our local Branch here in Southend, where we strive to support those who have emotional struggles in these difficult times. These will be people of all ages and all backgrounds in our area and it is a credit to the area that we have over 90 volunteers between our Branch in Victoria Avenue and in the charity shop in Hamlet Court Road. Mr. Duddridge’s donation will help considerably to keep us available for people who reach out to us, perhaps in their darkest hour.‘