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Welcome to the Samaritans Cymru Impact Report for 2023 and 2024 - Listening Makes a Difference
Every day, we lose someone in Wales to suicide. According to the Office for National Statistics, suicide rates in Wales rose in 2023, becoming the leading cause of death for young people under 35.
Samaritans Cymru highlights the urgent need for increased action in their latest impact report for 2023 and 2024, which launches today at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. The launch is supported by John Griffiths MS and Sarah Murphy, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Samaritans Cymru urges everyone to confront this crisis head-on and take bold steps toward change.
This event offered the opportunity to reflect and celebrate Samaritans considerable impact in Wales and the dedication of volunteers in Wales. It was also an opportunity to look forward and find out about Samaritans Cymru’s plans and how you can support in making Wales a nation of better listeners.
This report shows the valued contribution the Samaritans are making to support people and to prevent suicide in Wales. I am proud of the continued investment and support Welsh Government provides to the listening service. We will soon be publishing our new Suicide Prevention and Self-harm Strategy, which will set out our approach to preventing suicide and supporting those with suicidal thoughts. Third sector organisations like the Samaritans will play a vital role in delivering our ambitions.
Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy
Suicide isn’t inevitable; it can be prevented. Each of the 386 lives lost to suicide in registered in 2023 was a tragic loss, leaving behind a ripple effect of heartbreak for all those connected to them. For every suicide, it’s estimated that 135 people knew that person. We believe that listening is a powerful way to respond to the increasing need for emotional support, and it’s a skill that Samaritans want to share throughout the nation. We want to build a Wales where listening becomes second nature to everyone. This report showcases our unwavering commitment to preventing suicides across Wales and supporting the most vulnerable communities. Wales is a unique nation, characterised by diverse communities with distinct needs. Addressing suicide is a shared responsibility and isn’t an issue for just one sector, organisation or government department to solve.
Neil Ingham, Executive Director for Wales
Key highlights from 2023 and 2024 showed the true impact of Samaritans volunteers across Wales:
- Volunteers in Wales answered 225,000 calls for help through our national helpline; equates to one call every 10 seconds.
- Volunteers across 5 branches responded to 2,000 calls for help in Welsh.
- Volunteers in Wales answered over 7,500 emotional support emails and responding to 5,000 webchat contacts.
- The top 5 reasons for calling Samaritans were; Mental health/illness, family, isolation/loneliness and relationship problems.
- As a result of our rail partnership, 200 life-saving interventions were recorded on the rail network in Wales over 2 years.
- Prison Listeners in Wales responded to more than 5,300 requests for emotional support from fellow inmates.
Samaritans staff and volunteers work with research data and in partnership with other organisations to identify where the risk is and how we can best support those who are at their most vulnerable.
Beyond the phone lines, Samaritans branches and volunteers in Wales also offer targeted community outreach services and work to make sure that people in distress across Wales know that they’re never alone on their journey.
I’m in very poor health with visual impairment and mobility problems. Being a volunteer with Samaritans helps me to overcome my daily personal challenges. Speaking to callers, listening to them quietly, makes me realise how difficult other people’s lives are. The support of other volunteers also adds to the quality of my everyday life. After every duty I have a sense of achievement, of time well spent hopefully easing others’ problems.
Haverfordwest volunteer
I'm very proud that we have a Welsh helpline. When you want to speak about your worries or the things that put pressure on you, it’s really important that you can speak in your mother tongue. This is where deeper feelings can be expressed.
Welsh speaking volunteer