Rotherham Samaritans prepare for busy Christmas

VOLUNTEERS who operate the borough’s Samaritans telephone helpline will work tirelessly through the festive season — one of the charity’s busiest times of year.

Samaritans’ national helpline is preparing to answer 15,000 calls a day throughout Christmas and the start of the new year and the team at the charity’s Rotherham branch will be manning the phones around the clock to help those in need of a listening ear.

Director Jan Sparrow is preparing for her seventh Christmas day spent as a volunteer for Rotherham Samaritans. She said: “This time of year can increase feelings of loneliness, people may be in strained family situations, may have overspent, they might have all the usual issues plus many more.

“We provide a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel and whatever life has done to them.”

To contact Samaritans email [email protected] or call either 01709 361717 or 08457 909090.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should phone the Samaritans recruitment line 07982 301 678 or email [email protected].