'Everyone likes to have someone they can talk to in confidence'
Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards in association with Westmeath County Council
Unsung Hero finalist: Deirdre Collins
Deirdre Collins took on the mammoth task of bringing The Samaritans to the midlands in the late 1980s, having seen the need for the service in the locality.
Deirdre approached the Samaritans and was told that there would have to be community involvement for its existence. Deirdre got a committee together from there and said the involvement of the committee in fundraising was so important.
Deirdre placed an advert in the Westmeath Independent and included her own home telephone number.
“Hundreds applied and we ended up with 67 volunteers,” she said.
Deirdre liaised with the Galway Samaritans and they helped train the first group of Athlone Samaritans, who had had their training sessions in St Vincent’s Hospital, before the new volunteers moved into their base at Court Devenish, Athlone.
“The community raised the money and we moved into Court Devenish in February 1992, and our first Christmas concert took place before it opened,” said Deirdre.
They began having their concerts in Ss Peter and Paul’s church, and later went to the Friary church, and are now back again this December 11 with their annual Christmas concert at Ss Peter and Paul’s.
“The concerts are always well attended, and it’s great to see such interest and it creates an awareness of the organisation,” said Deirdre, who is the main organiser.
The Samaritans currently have 90 volunteers locally.
Many are from Athlone and from all over and travel from as far away as Castlerea. Some do overnight and evening duty and there are nine people with us from the beginning and no volunteer ever receives any payment.”
Deirdre has a great belief in the ethos and ethics of the Samaritans, which is about active listening to a caller.
“We used to have people letter-writing in the beginning, but now it’s email, and we get 2000 phonecalls per month,” she said. “Everyone likes to have someone they can talk to in confidence. People don’t have to give their name, which to me is vital.”
She said that it is an 1800 number people ring now, which means they could speak to a Samaritans branch anywhere in the country, and not necessarily in their home area.
Deirdre said there is ongoing training for volunteers on an annual basis.
The Unsung Hero award finalists are Maria Flanagan, Daniel Berry, and Deirdre Collins
The Unsung Hero award is sponsored by West-Midlands Credit Union