Samaritans

You don’t need a 2024 highlight reel to feel proud of yourself 💚 Take a moment to reflect on the small wins, because they matter just as much as the big ones. Maybe it was getting out of bed on a day that felt really heavy. Perhaps it was opening up when it felt easier to stay quiet. Or even just pausing to breathe when things felt overwhelming. These moments are worth celebrating. They’re proof of your resilience, even if they didn’t feel big at the time. Share something you’re proud of from 2024 in the comments 👇 We’re proud of every little victory. And we’re here for you, always.

We’re so excited that David, one of our incredible listening volunteers, has been awarded an MBE! It’s fantastic to see his 14 years of providing emotional support and his incredible listening walk being celebrated! He’s walked to every Samaritans branch in the UK and Ireland – over 200 – Clocking up 6,000 miles and raising £20,000. After receiving his official letter confirming the award, David told us “I could barely believe my eyes there’s so many pranks these days I thought it was a joke. It was a complete surprise and came out of the blue. It took a few days to sink in, but I feel very honoured and humbled by it. Until I got the letter, I don’t think I fully understood what I’d done with the walk. Towards the end all I could focus on was finishing. Then when I did, people would say ‘oh it’s amazing’ but I sort of underplayed it. The other day I was thinking about what it all meant, and I got a bit emotional – it’s a lot bigger than I’ve acknowledged. I volunteer for the Samaritans because I wanted to be there for people, many who are desperate, some who are contemplating taking their life and give them space to share their thoughts and feelings when maybe they have never done so before. I think all volunteers should be recognised. At Samaritans, we sit in rooms up and down the country, we don’t judge or try to tell people what to do – we listen. Giving people that space to talk is such a small thing to so many people, but to the person who talks about things they have never talked about before, it can be life changing.” Thank you so much for everything you do for us David, we’re so proud to see you celebrated. 💚

A little reminder as we start another year. 💚

📢 Incredible supporter alert! James has done the unimaginable - he’s run a marathon EVERY single day this year in support of us. 💚 Throughout the year, he’s had to contend with storms, mud, heat waves and snow yet hasn’t missed a single day. He told us, “We’re so much more capable of overcoming our challenges than we realise. I’ve chosen to do this challenge, and in our lives, we don’t get to choose the issues we face, but hopefully people will take inspiration that it is possible to tackle and overcome the hurdles in front of us. Having had my own personal struggles, I’ll believe in myself more.” James, your determination, grit and heart are beyond inspiring. Every step you’ve taken (all 18 million of them) has been towards making sure people have support in their hardest moments. You’ve not only raised life-saving funds but you’ve also brought hope and inspiration to so many. We’re so proud to have you as part of team Samaritans and beyond grateful for your dedication. We really hope you take some extremely well deserved rest now. 💚 Please help us flood the comments with love and appreciation for James - he deserves every bit of it! 🌟

The New Year can stir up all kinds of complicated feelings, especially if you’re already having a hard time. Add in the pressure to celebrate and it can all just feel like too much. If you find this a hard time of year, you're not on your own – we’ll be here all night long 💚

This in-between time between Christmas and New Years can feel a bit... odd can’t it? The days might blur, and regular routines can slip. But one thing that won’t change: we’re here if you need to talk, 24/7, whatever the day, whatever the time. 💚

It might feel extra hard to reach out for help today because it’s Christmas. But please know you don’t have to face anything alone. If you’re having a hard time, we’ll face it with you. We’re here all day and night 💚

Our incredible volunteers will be on shift answering calls tonight again, and all through the festive period 💚

“The other night, someone called who felt Christmas wouldn't be the same since their parents passed. Just listening helped them peel back the layers and understand their feelings.” Gavin is one of our incredible volunteers. Read his story here 👇 https://bit.ly/3ZM8CON

Whatever you're going through, we'll face it with you. 📱116 123