Member Article

Samaritans to attract 40 new recruits with Coalfields cash

Samaritans of Stoke on Trent and Newcastle, which has supported the local community for more than 50 years, is launching a recruitment drive after securing £8,580 from the Coalfields Community Investment Programme, delivered by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Experts in offering emotional support and specialist advice when people need it most, the branch will use the funding from the Coalfield Community Investment Fund to recruit and train an additional 40 volunteers who are all from former mining communities.

The additional resource from this latest cohort of workers will mean the branch is able to reach more people by increasing the hours that are dedicated to its face-to-face listening service and outreach activity when engaging with community groups.

Samaritans of Stoke on Trent and Newcastle will recruit Listening Volunteers that will provide support by telephone, face-to-face, email and text and Support Volunteers that will work in the charity shops.

Fundraising Officer, Maria Wemyss, comments: “With a network spanning across the UK and Ireland, the Samaritans take great pride in being a beacon of hope for millions of people, who put their confidence in the charity to provide the very best support and advice on a wide range of difficult issues.

“The Samaritans of Stoke on Trent and Newcastle is no different, and we want to offer our services to as many people as possible. In order to do this the branch must grow and train a new cohort of volunteers.

“Thanks to this latest round of funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, an additional 40 recruits from former mining areas are set to join the team. Not only will they be able to develop new skills and techniques, but they can also deliver the vital work the Samaritans have become known for.”

Development Manager for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Steve Abson, comments: “The Samaritans have become a lifeline for those living in our communities. We know that we still struggle with a range of challenges and that our residents often sit within the 30 per cent most deprived in the country.

“Collaborating with community-led organisations sits at the heart of our agenda, but more work needs to be done to see significant social and economic change for the better. Therefore, we are also calling on the government to create a dedicated Coalfield Investment Fund that will allow us to scale our efforts and improve the lives of future generations.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nick Hill .