Samaritans to offer support at Hither Green

Support will be offered at Hither Green Station Pic: Geograph

Hither Green Station has partnered up with suicide-prevention charity Samaritans as part of their annual awareness campaign.

Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark Samaritans will team up with Network Rail next week and send volunteers to offer support at Hither Green station and hand out the organisation’s top listening tips and booklets highlighting the support they provide for the community.

The campaign focuses on encouraging good listening skills and will be brought to the Lewisham railway station on Monday, July 24.

Samaritans month-long awareness campaign ‘Talk to Us’ encourages people to improve their listening skills by following the charity’s tips for helping someone in crisis.

Every six seconds in the UK, someone contacts Samaritans, and every 90 minutes in the UK and Ireland, someone takes their own life.

Deborah Dowdall, Director of Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark Samaritans said: “Suicide is everybody’s business and we can all do our bit to encourage people to be better listeners and reach out for help if they need to.”

It is estimated that 210 people take their own lives on railways each year in the UK. A spokesperson from Network Rail said the campaign seeks to improve train station safety and help prevent people from taking their own lives on the tracks.

“We’re a culture of people who love to give advice, love to give opinions and love the sound of our own voices. This year we’re asking people all over the country to shush and take time out to listen to others,” Dowdall added.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call the Samaritan Hotline for free, 24-hours a day, on 116 123.

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