Cambridge

Cambridge Samaritans Street View

Our 2021 in numbers

• 26,943 calls answered
• 8,452 hours on the phone
• 1,089 e-mails sent
• £45,000 per year to stay open.

Only possible thanks to our generous donors.

We’re run entirely by our unpaid, local volunteers.

What we do

We’re here to support and listen to callers, day or night, without judgement and in confidence. We stand with them in their darkest hours, whatever they’re facing.

Privacy Statement

Who we are

We’re people from all walks of life, from across the Cambridge region. There’s no such thing as a typical Samaritan, but what we have in common is that we’re committed to offering emotional support to anyone in distress.

Our busy branch has over 170 volunteers and our door’s always open to new applicants. We’re active in our local communities, in so many different ways. From outreach in schools and colleges, to helping homeless people via Wintercomfort, to our work with Littlehey Prison, to engaging with Cambridge United, to being a presence at events such as Cambridge Pride, to supporting Bassingbourn Barracks, and working with Network Rail at our three regional stations…we never stop!

We’re an independent, local charity completely run and staffed by our volunteers. We’re lucky to have our own building in the heart of Cambridge where we welcome face-to-face callers, do our shifts, and train our people.

We can only do what we do thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and support volunteers. They’re key to helping us to be there for people in desperate situations.

We’re proud to be part of the network of more than 200 branches and locations across the UK and Ireland, having been one of the first to be founded in 1962.

Why we do it

In 2022:

• There wasn't a single second when Samaritans weren't on the phone to someone.
• Every ten seconds a Samaritan answered a call for help.
• One in four calls, that involved emotional support, featured suicidal feelings.
• 70% of callers said their call had a positive impact on how they were feeling, a week after calling. *

“Cambridge Samaritans were my lifeline when I was feeling desperate. They saved my life.”
JW, a caller.

"It’s been fantastic to link with Samaritans locally- it was great to have them at Cambridge Pride running a stall."
Lara Jaffey, CEO, The Kite Trust and co-founder of Pink Festival Group.

“We’re thankful for our ongoing partnership with Cambridge Samaritans. We published a charter recognising the importance of good mental health and the positive role that football can play with the issue in society."
Cambridge United Football Club

*Markham, T., Forshaw, A. and Sutcliffe, R. (2020). Samaritans Caller Outcomes Study. Birmingham: MEL Research Ltd.

Join us

We really are a community at Cambridge Samaritans. We welcome anyone who wants to join us, and we’re committed to equality and diversity. We think you’ll find us a friendly, sociable, supportive bunch, and we offer great training on the journey to becoming a Samaritan.

Being a Samaritan is demanding and rewarding. What we do really matters. If that’s something you’d like to be part of, please get in touch. Find out more about volunteering for Samaritans.

More information

For more information about our work in Cambridge, please email [email protected]

Our privacy statement

Samaritans is committed to protecting privacy and the personal information that we hold. Read our privacy statement here.