Our face-to-face fundraising
After the success of our small pilot which ran from July-December 2025, our face-to-face fundraising is now taking place across locations in England on a full-time basis. This involves fundraising at private site venues such as shopping centres.
This method of fundraising has been proven to help charities like ours build long-term support - and with the demands on our services rising, securing regular donations are more important than ever. Regular givers allow us to plan ahead and keep our listening service running 24/7.
How it works
We’ve partnered with two experienced fundraising agencies, who ran the pilot, whose fundraisers:
- Wear official Samaritans-branded clothing and carry photo ID
- Only work in approved, private sites
- Never take cash donations
- Use secure, GDPR-compliant systems to set up regular donations
- Abide by the fundraising code of practice and regulator promise
- Are trained directly by Samaritans — including on how to recognise signs of vulnerability and how to support people who may be seeking support from Samaritans.
Where is it happening?
You can find a list of locations where our fundraisers will be below (updated weekly):
Current locations
25-31 May 2026
Leicestershire
- Sainsburys - 22 Bell Street, Wigston, LE18 1AD
- Iceland Food Warehouse - 1227 Melton Road, Syston, Leicester, LE7 2BE
- Home Bargains - St George's Shopping Park, St George's Way, Leicester, LE1 1SG
- Co Op - 114 Turnbull Drive, Braunstone Town, Leicester, LE3 2JW
- Co Op - 93 Main Street, Broughton Astley, Leicester, LE9 6RE
Doing things right
When conducting this type of fundraising we ensure it is designed with ethics, respect, and transparency at its heart:
- Monitoring, mystery shopping, and a clear complaints process
- All feedback reviewed daily, acted on and if required we will make improvements based on this
- Opportunities for Samaritans volunteers to help oversee and inform the process
Our aim is for people to walk away feeling heard, not hassled.
Safeguarding and ethics
Protecting the public — especially vulnerable individuals — is a top priority.
Fundraisers are trained to:
- Signpost to support if someone seems upset or in distress
- Offer helpline cards and make clear they are not Samaritans listeners
- Respect personal space and never follow or pressure anyone
We’ve also put in place strict monitoring — and we’ll pause or stop activity if any serious concerns arise.
Why we need your support
Every day, Samaritans volunteers answer around 10,000 calls for help. But delivering our core listening service alone costs around £8 million a year just to keep our core listening service running. To protect and grow this vital service, we need to build a more reliable, long-term source of income. That’s why face-to-face fundraising will play an important role in helping us reach more people, now and in the years ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Information about face-to-face fundraising
Q: Where will the fundraising be taking place?
The face-to-face fundraisers will be at private sites like shopping centres and supermarkets. Fundraising locations may expand further across England over time and in different places than the initial pilot. However, the agencies do not currently operate in Wales, Scotland, or Ireland and therefore these regions will not be included in current activity, although we may explore this over the coming few years.
Q: Why are you using face-to-face fundraising? Isn’t it old-fashioned or annoying?
A: Face-to-face fundraising is still one of the most effective ways to reach people and secure regular donations that fund our work. Our pilot project was very successful and, on this basis, we have decided to continue using face-to-face-fundraising to help build long-term support for Samaritans.
Q: Why are you targeting people in public when some people can’t afford to give?
A: Our fundraisers are trained to only approach those who they believe can afford to give, to avoid people who appear vulnerable, and to respect anyone who says no. We also provide clear information so people can make their own decision.
Q: Why aren’t you focusing on corporate donations or grants instead?
A: We pursue all types of funding — including grants, partnerships, and corporate support — but regular gifts from the public are a crucial, sustainable part of how we fund our work too.
Q: Why are you using paid agencies instead of volunteers?
A: Recruiting new regular givers at scale requires professional fundraisers who work full time. This approach complements, not replaces, the vital work done by our volunteers. Our current volunteers do an incredible job of supporting people struggling to cope. They answer calls for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and our priority is to ensure that service continues.
ABOUT THE FUNDRAISERS
Q: How do I know if the fundraiser is genuine?
A: Our fundraisers wear branded clothing, carry official ID, and work only in approved locations. If you’re unsure, you can contact our Supporter Care team (contact details below) to check.
Q: Why are they so persistent or following people?
A: Fundraisers are trained to engage politely and respect people’s right to say no. If you see or experience concerning behaviour, please report it to our Supporter Care team (contact details below) — we take all feedback seriously.
Q: Are these fundraisers paid on commission?
A: No. Our fundraisers are paid fairly, and they are not paid based on how many sign-ups they get. We ensure ethical payment practices in line with the Fundraising Regulator’s standards.
Q: Why do they need my bank details? Is it safe?
A: Regular gifts are set up by Direct Debit, which requires bank details. Fundraisers use secure systems that comply with all GDPR and banking standards, and no cash is taken. Fundraisers do not handle your bank details but instead will allow you to enter your details safely and discreetly.
Q: I don’t agree with ‘chuggers’, why would Samaritans do this?
A: We know face-to-face fundraising has a mixed reputation, and we’re being really clear that we’re doing things differently. The negative reputation of “chuggers” comes from experiences where people felt pressured or misled, and that’s the opposite of what we’re setting out to do.
Our approach is rooted in meaningful conversations. We’re working with carefully selected agencies whose fundraisers are trained by Samaritans to reflect our values — listening, empathy, and respect. The aim is for people to walk away feeling heard, not hassled — and if they choose to give, it’s because the conversation genuinely resonated with them.
To make sure standards stay high, we’ll have regular shadowing, clear ways to give feedback, and we’ll be inviting staff and volunteers to help with mystery shopping as part of our quality checks. Our aim is to attract supporters that stay with us for the long term and the only way we’ll do that is by ensuring people donate because they genuinely want to.
ABOUT SAFEGUARDING AND ETHICS
Q: What are you doing to protect vulnerable people?
A: We take this very seriously. Fundraisers are trained to spot signs of vulnerability and not to continue fundraising. We monitor and audit fundraising activity, and we act on any concerns raised. Fundraisers are equipped with printed materials on how to contact Samaritans helpline services if needed.
Q: What if I feel uncomfortable or harassed by a fundraiser?
A: Please let us know via our Supporter Care team (contact details below). We need feedback to ensure fundraisers meet our high standards and adjust anything that isn’t working.
Q: Isn’t face to face fundraising damaging your reputation?
A: We understand some people have concerns, which is why we ran a limited pilot with strict controls and monitoring. The pilot was highly successful and received positive feedback from the public and our volunteers. Our priority is to raise funds ethically and responsibly. We believe that the power of conversations helps us to build committed and long lasting relationships with potential new supporters.
ABOUT DONATIONS AND IMPACT
Q: How much of the money goes to the charity versus the fundraising agency?
A: The agency is paid a fair fee for delivering the campaign, but over time, the vast majority of the funds raised go to supporting our services. Regular giving is a long-term investment in our future. For every £1 raised through fundraising, almost 80p goes directly on our services and just over 20p is invested in raising the next £1.
Q: Can I give a one-off donation instead?
A: Absolutely — you can give in many ways, including online or through our Supporter Care team. The purpose of this fundraising campaign is specifically to recruit long-term supporters, but one-off gifts are always welcome. Our trained fundraisers are equipped with printed materials for supporters to take away and donate one off if preferable.
Q: Why are you spending money on fundraising when you could use that money to help people?
A: Fundraising is an investment: without it, we can’t raise the income needed to fund our services. Every pound spent on fundraising helps bring in more funds over time to support our mission. For every £1 raised through fundraising, almost 80p goes directly on our services and just over 20p is invested in raising the next £1.
Have questions or concerns?
If you see one of our fundraisers and have a question or would like to check they’re genuine, you can contact our Supporter Care team at: [email protected]
We’d also love to hear your feedback - good or bad - as it helps us learn and improve.
For any press enquiries, please contact: [email protected]