50% rise in calls to local Samaritans since lockdown

The number of calls answered by the Athlone & Midlands Samaritans branch increased by almost 50% during the last three months, compared to the same period last year.

ABOVE: The Rotary Club of Athlone has donated hand sanitisers.

This year, the Athlone & Midlands branch of the Samaritans has answered an average of over 1,800 calls a month in April, May and June.

The actual figure of 5,584 compares to 3,787 in the same period last year.

The local figures were released as Samaritans Ireland outlined that its volunteers answered more than half a million calls across the island of Ireland in 2019, according to their 2019 Impact Report.

The Impact Report gives an insight into the service Samaritans Ireland volunteers provide, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

It shows that every 49 seconds, someone contacts Samaritans in Ireland.

Samaritans Ireland volunteers received 583,277 phone calls in 2019 – 431,871 in the Republic of Ireland, and 151,406 in Northern Ireland.

On average Samaritans volunteers spent 15 minutes on the phone with each caller.

Nearly 4 out of every 10 calls is in relation to mental health/illness.

There were also 2,416 face-to-face contacts, and 19,989 emails to Samaritans Ireland.

Executive Director of Samaritans Ireland, Niall Mulligan said: “With more than half a million calls for help last year, by phone, e-mail, and face-to-face, the work of Samaritans Ireland has never been more needed. We deliver our service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through a network of 2,300 amazing volunteers within 22 branches across the island of Ireland.”

Samaritans is a lifeline for those who have nowhere else to turn. People contact Samaritans for many reasons including feeling lonely or isolated, breakdown of a relationship, work pressure, mental illness, bereavement, and thoughts of suicide. Samaritans volunteers also reach people in prisons, schools, workplaces, hospitals, festivals, and train stations. Of equal importance is their work to reduce stigma, raise awareness, and break down barriers to seeking help.

Niall reiterated: “I’d like to thank everyone who has made a donation to Samaritans and especially thank our volunteers in every branch across Ireland. Together, we’ve brought about positive changes that take us closer to our vision that fewer lives are lost to suicide in Ireland. Our presence, and our work has made a real difference to people’s lives. It is the time and dedication of our volunteers which ensures that calls and emails are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

COVID-19 has been a challenge for Samaritans Ireland this year, but the charity’s volunteers have ensured that a service was provided to those who needed it throughout the pandemic and lockdown.

Samaritans Regional Director for the Republic of Ireland Rory Fitzgerald said: “COVID-19 has magnified some of the issues that Samaritans volunteers encounter such as anxiousness and mental health, loneliness and isolation, and family and relationship issues. In the midst of this crisis, it is our volunteers who are doing everything they can to be there for people who need us. We experienced a drop in volunteer numbers due to self-isolation, shielding and cocooning but we were able to manage this by some volunteers doubling up on their number of shifts per week”.

Meanwhile, Athlone & Midlands branch of Samaritans has expressed its gratitude to the Rotary Club of Athlone for their generosity in donating a supply of hand sanitisers to raise much needed funds. Athlone Rotary Club have been supporters of the branch since its foundation in 1992 with both donations and fundraising initiatives.

The hand sanitisers will go on sale this week in local businesses and on Athlone Samaritans Facebook page for €5 each (100ml), with all proceeds going directly to charity.

There are no paid staff in the branch, only volunteers. As each branch of Samaritans is responsible for their own fundraising, the Athlone & Midlands branch relies on the generosity of its local community to keep the branch open. If local businesses are interested in supporting this fundraiser by sponsoring a box of 30 to be given to a local charity/organisation on their behalf, or for their own use they can email samaritansathlone@gmail.com