Our summer 2022 update showcases what the Samaritans Scotland team and our volunteers have been up to over the last three months to help ensure fewer people die by suicide in Scotland.
What have we been up to in summer 2022?
Samarathon
Supporters, volunteers and the Samaritans Scotland staff team raised money in July as part of our annual Samarathon campaign. The campaign raises awareness and money, asking people to walk, run, jog or scoot 26.2 miles over the month of July.
Strategic Delivery Plan Launch
In June, we saw the launch of our new Samaritans Scotland Strategic Delivery Plan for 2022-2024. We will build on our fantastic work across Scotland and ensure that people at risk of suicide are supported, while also working to prevent people reaching crisis point. Our five major ambitions for the delivery plan are to improve Access, Reach, Impact, Capacity and Sustainability.
In The Media
In July, our Talk To Us campaign generated significant awareness in Scotland through positive national and local media coverage, including articles highlighting our branch volunteers in Aberdeen & Dundee. There was also widespread pickup of our comments on the 2021 suicide statistics for Scotland released at the start of August
Suicide Prevention Strategy Consultation
We asked volunteers, campaigners, and supporters to ‘Have Your Say’ and help shape our response to the Scottish Government and COSLA’s consultation on their final draft of the new Suicide Prevention Strategy & Action Plan. Thank you for your very meaningful responses, we have fed these back to the Scottish Government.
At the Scottish Parliament
In June, we worked with partners in the Scottish Mental Health Partnership to deliver a parliamentary event. At this event the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart, committed to the partnership’s campaign request to create a new mental health and wellbeing strategy for Scotland.
MSP Motion
Alexander Stewart MSP put forward a motion in the Scottish Parliament recognising Samaritans Awareness Day on July 24th and our Talk To Us campaign month. The motion achieved support from 31 Members of the Scottish Parliament.
