Help support those in your local community this Christmas and give someone the gift of hope.

Sometimes it’s difficult to talk to those we love.  Problems such as debt, unemployment, relationship difficulties, bereavement and loneliness cause people to struggle every day.  Samaritans takes the time to listen, empowering people to work through their problems. 

Many people in the UK live alone, but even those who are surrounded by family and friends can be vulnerable to feelings of isolation and despair.

We know Christmas can be a really difficult time – that’s why we are available 24:7, 365 days a year when other frontline services shut down.

Every 5 seconds, including Christmas Day, our volunteers receive a call from someone, somewhere, searching for hope. We have 18,500 extraordinary people who give up their time for free talk to people whose lives they may change forever.

Meet our volunteer Marilyn: “I’ve been there, on the end of the phone in the early hours of Christmas morning and listened for an hour or more as someone has wept uncontrollably after the loss of a loved one, unable to cope with this time of the year that holds too many painful memories. But I’ve also been there when these people have cried all their tears, and then slowly, with sensitivity and encouragement, they realise that there is a way through their pain. Even though all I’ve done is listen, they often say to me, ‘Thank you Marilyn, you’ve made such a difference’.

That is the gift of hope that Samaritans volunteers are able to give to other human beings – and every day I feel privileged to be able to do so

Christmas can put even further pressure on finances. Samaritans are needed now more than ever with an increasing number of calls from people in financial distress. In 2010 these increased from 1 in 10 to 1 in 8.

Sponsor our helpline this Christmas, so volunteers around the country like Marilyn, can continue to be there to support the millions of people in distress, 24/7.

Minimum donation- £5 per month

  • £5 per month will pay for the cost of two contacts from desperate individuals who need our help this Christmas.
  • £10 per month means we could recruit and train a new volunteer, to help to continue our 24:7 life saving service.

In return

Your generous support will literally help us touch countless lives, providing a safety net over Christmas and the rest of the year, for the 5 million contacts we receive.

We will contact you twice in the year with our 24:7 newsletter, so you can see what we’ve been doing, and exactly what we want to achieve with your generous support.

Thank you.