On Wednesday 17th July 2024 a presentation of £600.00 was made to The Samaritans Canterbury, in the Temple of Canterbury’s Masonic Centre. This donation was the result of a successful match-funding application from the City’s St Martin’s Mark Lodge to the Kent Mark Benevolent Fund.
L-R W.Bro. Peter Lapage: KMBF Treasurer, W.Bro. Terry Robinson: Worshipful Master St Martin’s Lodge, W.Bro. Ron Fish: St Martin’s Lodge, Richard Manual: Canterbury & District Samaritans, W.Bro. Howard Doe: KMBF Trustee, V.W.Bro. Fred Brown: KMBF Trustee, Bro. Paul Nolan: Charity Steward St Martin’s Lodge. Also present was W.Bro Arthur Pybus: Treasurer St Martin’s Lodge, who kindly supplied the above photograph.
The Canterbury & District Samaritans is based in Northgate and staffed by volunteers. It is a registered charity aimed at providing support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide, often through its telephone helpline, which can be reached dialling 116 123 free from any phone
The core of Samaritans’ work is a telephone helpline, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Samaritans was the first 24-hour telephone helpline to be set up in the UK. In addition, the organisation offers a drop-in service for face-to-face discussion, undertakes outreach at festivals and other outdoor events, trains prisoners as “Listeners” to provide support within prisons, and undertakes research into suicide and emotional health issues.
Samaritans volunteers are given rigorous training to be non-judgmental and empathetic. By listening and asking open questions, Samaritans volunteers try to help people explore their feelings and work out their own way forward.
Samaritans does not denounce suicide, and it is not necessary to be suicidal to contact Samaritans. In 2014, nearly 80% of the people calling Samaritans did not express suicidal feelings. Samaritans believes that offering people the opportunity to be listened to in confidence, and accepted without prejudice.
Speaking afterwards Richard commented: “Thank you for your generous donation of £600. Without donations such as yours we would simply not be able to run as a Samaritans branch. We do not receive any financial help from our Central Office, or no Government grants. Every donataion goes towards running our branch so that we can be there for callers in distress, or just needing a listening ear. In June 2024 alone, the Canterbury branch of Samaritan volunteers answered over 1100 calls.”