Norwich Samaritans

Who We Help, Why We Help & the Difference It Makes

What We Do

24 Hour Telephone Helpline

Whatever you're going through, you can call us at any time, from any phone on 116 123. This number is FREE to call, and won’t appear on your telephone bill.

24 Hour Email Support

If you prefer to describe your feelings using the written word, you may also email us at [email protected] and receive a personal reply from one of our trained volunteers.

Face to Face Support

Our branch is also open to face-to-face callers from 9am – 9pm every day of the week. We can be found at 19 St. Stephen’s Square, Norwich, NR1 3SS.

When visiting our branch, please call on the ‘conservatory side’ of the building where there is a waiting area. Please ring the doorbell, take a seat, and a trained volunteer will answer the door to you as soon as they can.

Community Outreach

In addition to our support services above, we also do outreach work in the local community.

We help children and young people prepare for life’s challenges by running workshops and providing materials in schools. We also give talks at local businesses, WI & church groups, rotary clubs, and provide training to local groups such as nursing students or the local coastguard. You can also find us at various train stations, events, and fetes with a pop-up stall to raise awareness.

If you would like to request a speaker, training, or a Samaritans presence at a local event please get in touch at [email protected]

Volunteer

Volunteer

We’re actively looking for good listeners to join us at Samaritans, as well as enthusiastic people to help behind the scenes.

Currently, around 160 dedicated volunteers run our branch. They staff our phone lines 24/7, raise vital funds, lend admin or IT support, assist with maintenance and do just about every other job under the sun! It’s a great way to meet people from different backgrounds, learn new skills, and give back to your local community.

We also have two charity shops that are staffed by 35 volunteers, on Aylsham Road and in Westlegate, Norwich. They are integral in raising vital funds to keep our phone lines open.

If you’d like to learn more about volunteering with us, visit our website.

Or come along to an open day.

Donate

We’re able to be there for people when they need us most thanks to our kind supporters. We don’t receive any funding from our Samaritans Central Office, so are reliant on the public’s kind donations to either our shops or directly to the branch. 

You can find our shops at 321a Aylsham Road, Norwich & at 5 Westlegate, Norwich. At the moment we are actively seeking donations of clothing, accessories, bric-a-brac, good quality paperback books, toys and small electrical items. Too much to carry in? Call 01603 485 854 to arrange a collection.

You can also donate to us directly by post, through our donate page, by contacting our office, or by supporting us when you buy online through AmazonSmile or Easyfundraising.

Fundraise

We love a good fundraiser! If you do too, you can help us raise funds by joining our branch as a volunteer or fundraising as a supporter.

By joining our fundraising team as a volunteer you can support the fundraising events and activities we organise in branch. These can include funding applications to local trusts, bucket collections, awareness stalls, quiz nights, garden parties.

You don't have to be a volunteer to fundraise for our branch. Many supporters enjoy fundraising for us in their work place, by joining nationwide events, or by organising activities independently. In recent years these have included bake sales, flea markets, fashion shows, marathons, and sponsored walks / bike rides. It's now easy to collect donations online for your fundraiser - just go to Virgin Money Giving and select 'Norwich Samaritans' when setting up your fundraising page.

Have a fundraising idea or would like to find out more? Email us at [email protected]   

Community Trail