Central London

As the founding branch of the organisation, Central London Samaritans has been providing emotional support for people who are struggling to cope for over 70 years. Our volunteers are here to listen around the clock, every single day of the year.

Our volunteers

Typically, each year our approx. 400 volunteers:

• Donate 80,000 hours to run our charity – equivalent to 44 full time staff – which ensures we remain open to callers 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
• Respond to over 70,000 calls for help via phone, email and webchat from people who are experiencing emotional distress, despair, or suicidal feelings.
• Support up to 4,000 callers face-to-face via our branch drop-in service.
• Help around 7,000 of London’s most vulnerable people including homeless people, those bereaved by suicide, people in prison and in custody.
• Raise awareness with the wider community through our work with other charities, corporates, universities, and other organisations.

Our impact

Getting a response from a real person and being given the time and space to talk things through helps people find a way through their problems.

When people contact Samaritans for emotional support, they often mention several concerns. Some of the primary concerns raised related to mental health or illness, family, isolation or loneliness, and relationship problems. Suicidal feelings are expressed during 1 in 4 calls for help that involve emotional support.

A study showed that callers to Samaritans’ helpline reported a significant reduction in distress. A week after calling Samaritans, seven out of ten callers said they felt the call had a positive impact on how they were feeling.

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

Partnerships, Fundraising and Events

• Fundraise for us
• Partner with us
• Take on a challenge for us
• Sing for Samaritans
• Greeting cards
• Legacy giving

If you like to find out more, please get in touch with our team.

Outreach

Our branch plays an active role in the local community. We reach out to those who need us so that people know who we are and what we do – and how to contact us when they need us.

You can learn more about our outreach programmes Here.

Support our branch

Our branch is entirely funded by the generosity of individuals, businesses, and organisations. It costs around £360,000 each year to operate, ensuring we can continue offering vital support to those in need.

Read why we need your support.

Help us answer more calls for support at this crucial time. Any gift you feel able to give us will help us continue to reach those who are struggling to cope.

You can donate to our branch via our donation form or

• JustGiving
• Text Giving,
• Enthuse
• PayPal Giving Fund
• Global Giving.

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Hire Meeting Rooms

Conveniently located just steps from Carnaby Street, our meeting rooms offer a private, quiet space ideal perfect for productive meetings at cost effective rates.

For further information please click here.

Trustees

The governing body of Central London Samaritans is the Trustee Board, which has 8 members, all of whom are Samaritans volunteers. Meet our Trustees here.

Read and download our reports here.

Our privacy statement

At Samaritans, privacy is at the heart of what we do. We are committed to protecting your privacy and the personal information that we hold. Read our privacy statement here.Legacy givingLegacy giving