The Samaritans
Samaritans is a charity providing free, confidential emotional support across the United Kingdom and Ireland for anyone struggling to cope or feeling suicidal. It operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, aiming to reduce isolation and prevent suicide through compassionate listening and community engagement.
Origins and Mission
Founded by Anglican priest Chad Varah in London, Samaritans began as a pioneering “listening service” for people in distress. Its model of non-judgemental, confidential listening spread rapidly throughout the UK and Ireland. The organisation’s mission remains focused on reducing feelings of loneliness and despair that can lead to suicide, expressed through its vision that fewer people die by suicide.
Services and Approach
The charity provides multiple avenues for contact — phone, email, and online chat — supported by trained volunteers who listen without offering advice or judgement. It also collaborates with workplaces, prisons, schools, and community groups, offering training and outreach on emotional health and suicide prevention. The organisation’s 2022–2027 strategy, Tackling Suicide Together, emphasises partnerships, policy advocacy, and lived-experience inclusion to strengthen prevention efforts.
Research and Influence
Samaritans plays a central role in shaping UK and Irish suicide prevention policy. It compiles national suicide data, develops evidence-based media guidelines for responsible reporting, and campaigns to challenge stigma around mental health and suicide. Its research informs government strategies and public awareness initiatives.
Organisation and Funding
Samaritans operates more than 200 branches in the UK and Ireland, coordinated from a central office in Surrey and supported by regional offices in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, and Cardiff. It is registered as a charity in both countries and funded primarily through public donations, fundraising, and partnerships.