Caithness Samaritans seeks to grow in response to demands for its service – Can you help?

The new director of the Caithness Samaritans explains how the organisation started and reiterates her call for volunteers.

Barbara Bethell is director of the Thurso-based branch and says that the charity has embarked on a recruitment drive for more volunteers.

She said: "We are looking for volunteers to help provide a listening ear to help people struggling with their mental health. The volunteers have been there at the end of a telephone, to listen to anyone who is in a difficult place and has no one else they feel able to talk to."

Samaritans was established in 1953 by the Rev Chad Varah following a disturbing experience he had when he was a curate in Lincoln.

Rev Varah was involved with the funeral of a 14-year-old girl who had committed suicide when she thought a change in her body was something negative – when in fact it was a normal and natural change in her body as she moved to womanhood. She had no-one to talk to, feared the worst, and ended her life, says Barbara.

"The incident had a profound effect on Chad," she added.

"When he was later working in London, he put an advertisement in the local paper inviting the local community to come forward to volunteer to listen to those contemplating suicide. The response was such that a rapid growth brought into being 40 branches, and now there are more than 200 across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

"While we all know the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, Samaritans are non-religious, non-political and do not recognise any sectarian divisions. Volunteers are non-judgmental, empathetic and try to help people explore their own feelings and work out their own way forward; simply available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week to listen to anyone struggling with something that threatens to overwhelm them."

Caithness Samaritans has been in Thurso for more than 40 years. The small branch is now seeking to grow in response to the demand for its service.

"Volunteers undertake a four-hour shift a week, and while there isn’t a salary, we do commit to offering a mileage allowance – determined that no-one should have to be able to afford to work with us.

"Samaritan volunteers are ordinary people, prepared to spend some time supporting someone in despair.

"All of us know the relief we can experience when talking to someone about a concern on our mind – an opportunity to break out of that whirlpool of worry – a chance to stop for a moment and see a potential way forward."

There are more than 25,000 trained Samaritan Volunteers – could you be one more, working in the Thurso branch?

If you are interested in helping, you can email angmaymac@gmail.com for more information. A Samaritan will call you back if you wish to leave a number.

Caithness Samaritans will have a coffee morning at the British Legion on Saturday, April 13 from 10am until noon.

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