11 years ago today, my dad took his own life, and every 90 minutes in the UK, someone dies by suicide.
Each Father's Day, for the past 3 years, we've donated money to Samaritans. This year, we're donating £300 to the charity, to help fund the recruitment and training of volunteers.
Why are we supporting Samaritans?
“It’s ok not to be ok” and “talk about your mental health” have become quick sound bites that people and companies can pay lip service to, but talking can save lives.
More specifically, a call to Samaritans can save a life. In 2024, Samaritans volunteers responded to more than 3.3 million calls for help.
Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through the power of human connection. Connecting people in crisis with trained volunteers who will always listen. People calling for change with those who need to listen. People who've been there before with those struggling now.
In addition to the services they provide, an important part of the Samaritans work is understanding and challenging the social elements that impact suicide.