Caithness suicide charity celebrates
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CAITHNESS Samaritans have had a busy schedule in the run-up to celebrating four decades of service to the community.
On Tuesday last week, Dave Matthews, from the Doncaster branch of the organisation, arrived in Thurso and was congratulated by local volunteers. Dave is undertaking a gruelling 6000-mile journey to visit 201 Samaritans branches over a two-year period.
Angela Macgregor, director of the Caithness branch, said: "I would like to thank everyone, including former volunteers, for their generous and friendly support over the last 40 years. I would urge anyone who feels they may like to volunteer with us to call in during opening hours, or contact us on Samaritans.org"
Samaritans provide a free, non-judgmental, confidential listening ear to whoever needs it. The organisation says that "listening" alleviates problems by giving people time and space to explore and understand their feelings and review their options.
Over the past year, Caithness Samaritans has been visited by a volunteer from the Tunbridge Wells branch, who was riding a tandem all the way from Land's End and visiting branches en route. She arrived in Thurso and travelled on to John O'Groats to complete the marathon journey with one of the local volunteers on the back of her bike.
Another special event happened when Thurso man Gregor McLean decided to grow a massive beard and have it ceremonially shaved off, raising over £3000.
Volunteers from all walks of life have manned phones to support the Samaritan vision that fewer people die by suicide and have made it their mission to alleviate emotional distress.
