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Motion · S5M-17484 · 30 May 2019

Samaritans Scotland, Celebrating 60 Years of Listening

Lodged by Miles Briggs (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party) Standard Motion 22 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament congratulates Samaritans Scotland on its 60th anniversary; understands that the charity marks the anniversary on 1 June 2019, 60 years to the day in 1959 that the first ever call was taken in Scotland by the Edinburgh branch; understands that, since that first call, the charity has become a leading organisation for suicide prevention, with 19 branches stretching from the Scottish Borders to the Shetland Islands; is aware that it has around 1,000 volunteers in Scotland and that the charity provides emotional support to people when they need it most via phone, email, text, letter or face-to-face conversation, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; recognises that demand for Samaritans’ services has grown considerably over the last six decades; notes that the Edinburgh branch received 550 calls in its first year, while last year the branch alone was contacted more than 45,000 times; further notes that, across Scotland, Samaritans volunteers were contacted more than 249,000 times by people in distress and crisis in 2018 and spent more than 60,000 hours providing emotional support, the equivalent of 2,500 days of listening; recognises the contribution made by past and present Samaritans volunteers in Scotland over the last six decades, and commends the charity’s work to recruit new volunteers and develop new ways of providing support so that it can continue to be there for people when they need it most and help to reduce the number of deaths by suicide in Scotland.

Supporters (22)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.