TIS the season to be jolly.

So what happens if instead of jolly you feel sad, lonely or worried and everyone around you wants you to laugh and joke and be festive?

Christmas and new year can be difficult times for many people, and particularly tough for a few who may be grappling with suicidal thoughts.

Fortunately, in Worcester a dedicated band of volunteers have been working hard to try to alleviate suffering by listening to the worries of others – in complete confidence.

Every day of the year – including Christmas, new year and bank holidays – the Samaritans answer calls or chat to people who drop in to their Sansome Place offices.

They don’t claim to be able to solve people’s problems but they do guarantee that someone will always listen and talk to them.

Graham Jennings, the branch’s publicity officer, said: “It’s a very stressful time of the year really.

“Everybody thinks how wonderful Christmas is but we’ve got people stuck in the snow, struggling financially and people who have lost loved ones.

“It can be a really depressing time.

Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve can be especially hard for people.”

One of those who gave up his time on Christmas Day to answer calls in Worcester was the branch’s director Philip.

He said: “People see everyone else enjoying themselves at this time. They are maybe not too happy at the moment and it can make them feel even worse about their own situation.

“We are open 365 days of the year for that reason. On New Year’s Eve we tend to get more calls too.”

Philip, who has asked us not to use his surname to protect the anonymity of the service, said many of this year’s callers were worried about money.

Relationship issues also featured heavily and often those with mental health issues use the service when they cannot contact their doctors or their usual care workers easily.

Philip said: “About 20 per cent of calls are from people where things have got so bad they have got suicidal feelings but 80 per cent of people just need to talk to someone.

“Not everyone will know this, but anyone who is going through any kind of emotional distress can phone us – they don’t have to be suicidal.

“Experience shows talking helps.

Sometimes people don’t want to talk to their nearest and dearest and find it easier to talk to a complete stranger. They can remain anonymous. We don’t make any judgements, we just basically listen. It can save their life.”

“We don’t offer advice because it may not be the right advice. I know it seems a bit of a cop-out but from 50 years of running the Samaritans it’s been found that the only people who can really advise them is themselves.

“We always try and establish how they are feeling at the end of the call and if things are bad then you can offer to call back if they want it.”

A branch of the Samaritans has been running in Worcester for 47 years. Initially the organisation was based in The Tything but moved to its existing home in Sansome Place in 1976.

Today, between 80 and 90 volunteers help man the telephone lines, answer letters and talk to people who drop in. There is also email befriending, outreach visits to schools and universities and plans for a texting service.

The branch costs £40,000 a year to run but volunteers struggled to raise funds in 2010 as the economic slowdown continued to bite. For the first time this year, the branch has had to dip into its financial reserves to meet running costs.

Philip said: “We are not about to close but we do need to put extra effort into fund-raising. We are getting support but obviously people can’t afford as much as they have done in the past.”

The organisation also needs volunteers, who take part in an eight-week training programme and are then mentored for six months by an experienced Samaritan.

Philip said: “We want people from all walks of life and all ages, we have volunteers from 17 to 70.

“If you are interested in people and can empathise with them then you will make a good volunteer.”

GETTING IN TOUCH

To talk over your problems with someone at the Samaritans, Visit: 9 Sansome Place between 9am and 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 3pm on Sundays.

Call: 01905 21121, 24 hours a day, or national number 08457 909090 E-mail: jo@samaritans.org Web: worcestersamaritans.org.uk For more information about volunteering e-mail worcester@samaritans.org.