Our approximately 100 listening and support volunteers provide an incredibly valuable service, each year. Our listening volunteers deal with over 18,000 calls and emails from people who are in emotional crisis and in need of immediate emotional support. Our support volunteers help us to raise money or promote our services, organise events, keep our computers working or contribute to the many administrative roles that keep our branch running smoothly.

We are also passionate about the support we give to our local community through our active outreach programme. We work to engage with those who would benefit in understanding more about our listening service, how active listening can help to alleviate stress, and consider how to identify someone close to them who is struggling to cope. This includes those in care and support roles. We support our local prison through the Samaritans Listeners scheme, training and supporting the Listeners. We visit schools and colleges within a 25-mile radius to meet with students and teachers to raise awareness of Samaritans and what we do, and to improve their understanding of emotional health and its impact on young people's wellbeing. We support our military on Salisbury Plain by attending welfare events and giving presentations on the importance of talking in coping with stress, loss and mental health challenges to serving members of the armed forces. In addition, our speakers offer presentations to local organisations and clubs, both for general awareness of Samaritans and to better support those who provide and receive emotional support in their roles.

• Every Samaritans branch is expected to raise their own funds. Our branch remains open through monies raised from our fundraising activities, and from donations, including gifts in Wills and In Memory donations. The Salisbury volunteers are grateful to everyone who supports the branch, enabling us to continue to provide the best service we can give. Our biggest fundraising event in 2022 was the Sams Ride (see news story below), a cycling event (25/50/100 miles) which took place in August.
• Donate to this branch - it costs over £100 per day to run the Salisbury Samaritans branch. If you would like to donate to us, or remember us in your Will or with an In Memory donation, we would be very grateful.
• We are currently recruiting new volunteers. We run training courses 3 times a year, starting in January, April and September. You might have to wait up to 6 months before you can start with us but we are keen to expand our numbers and will do our best to keep you informed about where you are in our branch recruitment process. If you are interested in joining Salisbury Samaritans, either as a listening or support volunteer, click on the link at the start of this paragraph for more information.