Samaritans could close at least half of its branches across the UK and Ireland in a bid to cut costs and reshape its services.
About 100 branches face closure, although the charity’s chief executive Julie Bentley has said there was not a “definitive” view on how many branches were needed.
She said having more than 200 branches was “not sustainable and hinders us” from providing the best services, which are designed to prevent suicides.
Bentley said some offices were failing to retain enough volunteers and “don’t support the effective delivery of our services to callers”.
She also voiced the view that the Samaritans spends too much of its income on “maintaining bricks and mortars, rather than being used to improve our services”.
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However, in its latest accounts, for 2023-24, almost two-thirds (£15.3m) of the charity’s £24.6m income was spent on staff costs and less than 4% on land and buildings.
Volunteers have reacted with dismay, one telling the BBC: “They’re dismantling something that has worked for 70 years.”
Founded in 1953, the Samaritans focuses on preventing suicides by connecting trained volunteers with people who are struggling.
The charity’s board will consider the plans at a meeting in September and, if agreed, the changes will begin in April in the UK and in 2027 in Ireland. The list of branches which could close has not been decided.
Volunteers have raised fears over “virtual volunteering” where people answer calls from home, because of the pressures of dealing with calls about suicide alone. And female volunteers are said to be anxious about remote working because of the high number of abusive and sexual calls the charity receives.
It is thought that many volunteers will leave the service if their branches are cut.
Bentley told the BBC that the Samaritans would continue to be available every minute of every day.
“Samaritans provides a life-saving service, day and night, 365 days a year, but the changing needs of our callers and volunteers mean thinking differently about the way our services need to work,” she said.
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