Freemasons donate £30,000 to Lincolnshire Samaritans
Seventy years after Barton-born Chad Varah founded his life-saving ‘listening ear’ The Samaritans, Freemasons have invested £30,000 in new technology to ensure the organisation’s work can continue in Lincolnshire.
The unique 24/7 service depends on access to telephones – but phones are changing.
Copper-cable analogue technology will be phased out by the end of next year, threatening the future of the Samaritans’ work.
Samaritans’ Trust Fundraiser Mike Barnes said: “Telecom providers want to switch all lines to Voice over Internet’ technology by December 2025, and turn off the nation’s analogue telephone lines. We had to find an alternative for our 203 branches across the country, including five in Lincolnshire, or risk losing our helplines service, which would have left thousands of people friendless in a crisis.
“We are so grateful to Lincolnshire Freemasons for their donation, which will mean we can sustain our lifeline for the five branches in their area not just next year, but for many years into the future, which has the potential to save thousands of lives.”
Lincolnshire’s senior Freemason Dave Wheeler said: “The value of the work done by Samaritans’ volunteers is beyond priceless. Last year alone their volunteer listeners dealt with more than 37,000 calls for help from people in our Province experiencing their darkest moments, and there’s no reason to suppose the number will be any smaller this year, next year, or any year after that.
“We don’t know what personal struggles people around us, or even amongst our own friends or their families, are experiencing – but I have no doubt that this donation will provide a platform for volunteers ready to help steer them though troubled times.”
The funds have come from the Freemasons’ charity the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), which is funded entirely by Freemasons through their own fundraising activities, raffles, and collections. The donation will fund:
- New equipment and installation at five Samaritans branches in Lincolnshire
- Specialist headsets including bluetooth and accessibility versions for people with hearing aids
- WiFi connectors
- Cables and lightweight handsets that look and feel like phone handsets but are connected by USB (for volunteers who don’t like headsets)
- Training and support of volunteers to bring them up to speed with the new technology and systems
- Volunteers’ expenses so no-one finds lack of finance a barrier to volunteering
- Branch outreach in communities across Lincolnshire
As of last year, here are the number of volunteers per branch and calls taken by The Samaritans in Lincolnshire:
Lincoln 51 volunteers; 7,352 calls for help
Scunthorpe 119 volunteers; 9,579 calls for help
Grimsby 40 volunteers; 5,076 calls for help
Grantham 96 volunteers; 10,247 calls for help
Boston 36 volunteers; 4,812 calls for help