Samaritans is launching an ambitious fundraising campaign, to get people talking about the ‘S’ word.
Samaritans is launching an ambitious fundraising campaign, to get people talking about the ‘S’ word. As the charity’s first ever winter campaign, spread over several months, it kicked off the appeal with social media posts going live on 1st November. The UK’s leading suicide prevention charity aims to get people talking about suicidal feelings to help prevent those struggling from reaching crisis point.
#Breakthesilence is a fundraising campaign where Samaritans is calling on supporters to donate and share their support with others via their social platforms. It aims to promote the idea that talking is the most powerful way to stamp out the stigma that surrounds suicide, and by having the courage to say the word itself can help prevent someone from taking their own life.
The campaign includes a series of short videos featuring callers and listening volunteers. One of those callers was Paul from Devon, he said: “I was at rock bottom. It was the early hours of the morning, and I had no other way of trying to obtain help apart from contacting Samaritans - they were there as it’s a 24/7 service. And that call probably saved my life.
“When I had that trained volunteer just being there to listen it was a real shining light. Breaking the silence was what I needed, because if I didn’t take those steps to obtain help, then I probably wouldn’t be here today. If Samaritans weren’t here, I wouldn’t be here talking about my story!”
A #BreaktheSilence television advert has also been produced to run in unison with the campaign. Entitled, ‘Silence is painful’, it’s set to air from 9 November on ITV Digital, Sky Media amongst other channels. The campaign will also include direct marketing letters delivered to UK households on 7 November.
Samaritans Executive Director of Income, Sonya Trivedy said: “The #BreakingtheSilence campaign is an opportunity to drive the conversation in these times of continued uncertainty, with issues such as loneliness, isolation and the cost of living crisis, meaning it could be a challenging winter for many people.
“Hopefully this new campaign will reassure people that Samaritans volunteers are here for people to talk to when they are ready to break their silence. Mental health, wellbeing and suicide are things that affect every one of us. With #BreaktheSilence we want this bolder messaging to encourage people to sit up, take notice and be moved to take action so that we can work towards our vision that fewer people die by suicide.”
The campaign will run until 6 January 2023 and has been undertaken with the agency Campfire. Paul Power, Creative Director at Campfire Agency said: “I know that all of us at Campfire Agency are proud to be working with Samaritans on their #BreaktheSilence campaign - because silence really does cost lives.”
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Notes to editor:
Samaritans’ winter appeal is #BreaktheSilence. Every 90 minutes in the UK, someone dies by suicide. But talking saves lives. It’s time for all of us to break the silence about struggles with mental health, especially suicidal feelings. Because silence costs lives. Donate now: samaritans.org/silence