Central Co-op kicked off its new charity partnership with Samaritans on World Mental Health Day, 10 October, with a launch event at its Support Centre in Lichfield.
The event gave society colleagues the chance to connect with Samaritans volunteers, learn about the work the charity does, and explore fundraising opportunities to support the partnership.
A key feature of the launch was the creation of a Pledge Wall, where Central Co-op colleagues and Samaritans volunteers wrote their personal commitments to mental health. Messages included: “Take time to get outdoors & be focused on being outside,” “Prioritise my own happiness more, less people pleasing,” and “Ask for help, even if it scares me.”
Central says Samaritans shares its ethos of community and human connection. Every 10 seconds, a Samaritans volunteer answers a call for help, with 23,000 volunteers across 200 branches responding to people in need through phone calls, emails, online chats, letters and in-person visits. Last year alone, these volunteers spent almost one million hours supporting people struggling with their mental health.
The co-op’s partnership with Samaritans emerged after an extensive selection process, with nearly 17,000 members joining the voting.
“We’re thrilled to have Samaritans as our charity partner,” said Central CEO Debbie Robinson. “Our members made it clear that mental health is a priority and voted for a partner that provides essential mental health support, so we listened and acted.
“This partnership is a perfect reflection of Central Co-op’s core values of self-help, solidarity and community, and the focus Samaritans places on providing round-the-clock care and support is truly inspiring.”
Julie Bentley, CEO of Samaritans, added: “We are honoured that thousands of Central members voted Samaritans to be their new charity partnership and there is no better time to launch our work together than on World Mental Health Day.
“It’s thanks to public donations and partnerships with generous organisations like Central Co-op that Samaritans is able to be there for anyone struggling to cope and we can’t wait to see the positive impact our work together will have.”
Shoppers can donate by rounding up their purchases when paying by card at Central shops or via cash in donation boxes at tills and funeral homes.
Central Co-op colleagues also marked World Mental Health Day and the beginning of the Samaritans partnership with Dawn Walks – a series of 5km sunrise walks – alongside Tea & Talk events and raffles to launch fundraising efforts.
Just £10 could help Samaritans answer a call for help, the society says, while £133 could recruit and train a new volunteer. Larger amounts of £680 could help keep the helpline open for an hour, and £1,077 could cover the cost of running Samaritans’ online chat service for an entire day.
If you need help with your mental health, call Samaritans. free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
