Yeovil Samaritans is opening its branch for 24/7 to callers on Sunday September 1st for One Night Only
Samaritans is a 24/7 365 days a year service. When you contact Samaritans, you call a national free number, which will connect to the first available volunteer–be it in Scotland, Wales or England. This does not necessarily mean that every branch is physically open 24/7 as the priority is getting the call answered and making sure Samaritans is there for everyone, rather than supporting only those in your local community.
In a bid to encourage volunteers to be there for those struggling to cope on Sundays, the Yeovil Branch is opening its branch for 24/7 to callers on Sunday September 1st for One Night Only. This is part of a wider initiative where many branches are pledging to stay open from 00.01 on Sunday morning through to 23.59 on Sunday evening,
The reasons for choosing Sunday September 1st are multi-fold.
- Sunday is always a hot spot for calls to Samaritans
- Sunday is the day of the week when the least amount of Samaritans volunteers sign up for shifts
- The last Sunday of the summer holidays, which this year falls on September 1st, can be a difficult day for many families and a time when they may need support
Branch Director Sarah Coote said: ‘We are hoping that on a local level, the initiative will help to us understand exactly what is needed nationally and the part we can play in ensuring we are open when we are needed most. We hope very soon we can stay open 24/7 on Sunday because we know it is when we see an increased number of calls. The Yeovil Branch is always on the lookout for suitable candidates and we will have plenty of room to accommodate them at our new premises in Morley House in the centre of the town which will be fully up and running from this Autumn.’
Could you volunteer with Samaritans? The Yeovil Branch holds monthly Information evenings which take place on the first Wednesday of every month at 7pm at 25 The Park, Yeovil, BA20 1DG. There’s no need to pre-book, just turn up and you’ll be warmly welcomed with a cup of tea and answers to any questions you may have. Alternatively, you can call our information line on 01935 414015, email [email protected] or visit our website at https://www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-yeovil-sherborne-and-district.