From The Guardian 10 August 2025…
‘Soul-destroying’: Samaritans volunteers blindsided by proposed closures
Team who raised nearly £300,000 to replace building left in limbo by plan to close at least 100 UK and Ireland centres.
At the Walsall branch of Samaritans, it has been a tough few years of campaigning for the funds needed to replace the now leaky portable cabin they have operated out of for the past 60 years. After raising almost £300,000, they are on the home stretch towards reaching their final goal, and being able to replace the building they use to help local people in the depths of crisis. Then came the shock announcement from Samaritans central office: that it proposes to close at least half of its 200 branches across the UK and Ireland in the next 10 years….