Samaritans risk exodus of volunteers over branch closures

Samaritans has been warned thousands of its helpline volunteers could quit if controversial proposals to close half of its 200 local branches over the next decade go ahead.

- Patrick Butler

The mental health charity, sometimes regarded as the “fourth emergency service”, currently has about 22,000 volunteers answering calls and messages from people in crisis in the UK and Ireland.

A Samaritans board meeting today is expected to decide whether to approve proposals to cut local branches in favour of bigger regional call centres as part of a so-called “future-proofing” strategy aimed at cutting costs and improving services.

A group of Samaritans branch directors has written to the board warning a move to regionalise helplines will destroy the “local connections” that motivate volunteers and drive fundraising campaigns.