SAMARITANS from the Eastbourne & District branch will be in The Beacon shopping centre during January to offer comfort, support and a listening ear to people struggling with post-festive blues.
Samaritans volunteers will be at the centre on Saturday 3rd January and Wednesday 21st January to talk to shoppers about their post-Christmas worries, the pressures of over-spending and life in general.
To mark Brew Monday on January 19th – when people are encouraged to brew a cup of tea/coffee and take five minutes to reach out to somebody to let them know they are valued and that someone cares – they will be in the centre to offer a friendly ear.
“The team at The Beacon has invited us into the shopping centre, as January can be a difficult month to get through,” an Eastbourne Samaritans spokesperson said. “We will have volunteers walking around the centre to offer a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or just a chat and a smile.”
Every 10 seconds Samaritans answer a call for help. One in four people will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in life. In 2024, Samaritans volunteers across the UK responded to more than 3.3 million calls for help.
The spokesperson said that the Eastbourne branch was always looking for volunteers to help provide their 24/7 service.
“We have a great team of volunteers supporting everything we do,” they said. “But we are always looking for more people to help us provide support.
“In the next hour, we’ll receive 600 calls for help around the UK,” they added. “Without our volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to be there for people who desperately need someone. By becoming a Samaritan, you can help us make a real difference to others.”
Beacon General Manager Mark Powell said he was delighted The Samaritans were coming to the shopping centre during January.
“The Samaritans play such an important role in helping vulnerable people and listening to them in their hour of need,” Mark said. “The Beacon is delighted to be teaming up with them and we are very grateful to them for making time to join us in the Centre.”
You can find more information about The Samaritans here.
