Samaritans Epic 'Listening Walker' Reaches Ealing


David Matthews is on a mammoth fundraising trip across UK and Ireland


Dave Matthews  reaches the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow branch and was congratulated by volunteers, including local director Heena Johnson (second from right)

A man who's undertaking an epic 6,000-mile trek on foot to visit all of the 201 Samaritans branches in the UK and Ireland has stopped off and met Ealing volunteers. 

Dave Matthews has already covered 4,200 miles and reached the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow branch of Samaritans in South Ealing and was congratulated by local workers and director Heena Johnson. 

She said: “Dave’s walk symbolises the passion and the commitment of the Samaritans volunteers which have allowed us to stay open throughout the pandemic to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair.”  

Samaritans responds to more than 5 million calls for help every year, offering emotional support by phone, email, text and face to face in its 201 branches across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Since January 1972, Ealing, Hammersmith & Hounslow Samaritans volunteers have provided confidential emotional support to the West London community and beyond.

The Branch is a collective effort of some 150 people -- unpaid volunteers from all walks of life who, 365 days of the year, provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.

The South Ealing based branch was the 141st to be visited by Dave in his Listening Walk which began in April 2019 and aims to raise £100,000 for the charity. After being obliged to stop in April 2020 because of the various lockdown restrictions, he restarted his odyssey in December 2020.  

Dave told the Ealing, Hammersmith & Hounslow volunteers: “I’ve been humbled by the reaction I’ve had from people all over the UK who’ve reminded me that what we’re doing is so important.” 

Following his stop in Ealing after some nine million steps of his journey, Dave left on foot to visit the Samaritans branch in Putney. 

You can donate by clicking here or David’s journey can be followed via The Listening Walk on Facebook.

Anyone can contact Samaritans for FREE any time from any phone on 116 123. This number won’t show up on your phone bill. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org 

Annemarie Flanagan

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15th June 2021