Samaritans

Thousands of volunteers from all walks of life are here every day and night, making sure no one has to face their darkest moments alone. This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating every single one of our incredible volunteers. Help us say thank you by leaving a 💚 in the comments.

To anyone in the trans and non-binary community affected by the guidance on ‘single-sex’ spaces: if you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed or alone, please know you don’t have to face those feelings alone. Our volunteers are here to listen 24/7 on 116 123 📱 Following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex last April, we saw a significant spike in callers from the trans community talking about their suicidal feelings, with call rates increasing by 40%. We know news and public debate like this can take a real emotional toll, our volunteers are here for you. If you’d like more specialist support, you can reach out to Switchboard, who are an LGBTQ+ helpline. 📱0800 0119 100 ✉️ hello@switchboard.lgbt

We’re proud to be supporting Samaritans, the UK’s leading charity providing emotional support to anyone in distress or struggling to cope. Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week, and we’ll be getting behind initiatives in different ways to help people take action for better mental health. https://lnkd.in/eVviRnP

It’s not always easy to explain what’s going on inside your head, especially when life feels like it’s too much. But talking can be a small but powerful step towards making things feel a little more manageable. You can call us free day or night on 116 123 📱

When suicidal thoughts are loud, it can seem like there’s no other way you’ll ever feel. But that feeling comes from the pain you’re currently in. It’s not a fact about what’s ahead for you. 🌊 Hold on - you won’t feel like this forever. Call us free day or night on 116 123 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

Megan’s done it! She’s run the entire coast of Britain for Samaritans! That’s 200 marathons in 204 days, and she is now the fastest woman ever to run the British coastline. She’s raised over £60k for us. Can you help us show her some love in the comments? Here’s some more info on Megan and the challenge 👇 She’s spent around 1,000 hours running, fuelled by 250 bananas and a steady intake of flapjacks. She’s worn through 10 pairs of trainers and has faced extreme conditions throughout the challenge, from heavy rain and relentless coastal winds, including 60mph gusts, to more than 50 consecutive days with soaked feet during winter. On Scotland’s west coast, she endured snow and wind chill temperatures as low as -15°C. Despite the gruelling schedule, Megan maintained an impressive pace, with her marathon time averaging five hours across the journey. Podcasts like Desert Island Discs and Tea and Trails kept her company, and her dog, Shadow, was also a regular companion, covering an estimated 500 miles with her. Megan was diagnosed with MS in 2024 and faced some serious mental health challenges. “When I was at my lowest, Samaritans helped me keep going,” she says. “This challenge was never just about running. Samaritans gave me someone to talk to when I felt completely alone, and that human connection meant everything. Being able to give something back and doing my bit to help make sure that support is there for others has been a huge driving force every single day.” We can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve put into this challenge, Megan – you’re our hero 💚

There’s so much in life we’re taught to notice and celebrate, like the big wins and milestones. The things people can see. But so many things that also really matter aren’t visible. Like getting up and trying every day even when life is knocking you down. Like dealing with things like panic attacks, depression, suicidal thoughts, grief, trauma or anything else that makes your days a struggle to get through. We can’t even begin to measure the kind of strength it takes just to keep showing up and facing all of that every single day. We see this every day from those of you who call us – and we think it deserves so much respect, especially when it might go unnoticed by the rest of the world. So, we just wanted to let you know this Mental Health Awareness Week, we see you all. You deserve to hear this: The world is better with you in it, and the small ways you keep going make more difference to the world than you can imagine. 🌍 If you need someone to listen, we’re here on 116 123. 💚

Maternal or perinatal mental health is the term used to talk about the mental health of people in the time during pregnancy and up to two years after they give birth. It can be a hugely vulnerable time. Suicide continues to be the leading cause of direct maternal death between 6 weeks and 12 months after birth. We want you to know that if you’re in this time of your life and you’re finding it really tough, we see you and we are here to listen to you without judgement on 116 123.

We need your help! Firefighters are often the first on the scene in a crisis, but many aren’t getting the training or well-being support they need, read more here: https://lnkd.in/eXPFCs-u Sign our open letter and tell the Fire Minster: suicide prevention training for firefighters: can’t wait. Link in comments section.