The power of a simple conversation: supporting others on and off the clock
Every year on 24th July, Samaritans marks Samaritans Awareness Day - a date chosen because 24/7 symbolises that their volunteers are there for anyone who needs support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For OurCoop, it's a chance to celebrate an incredible partnership, but also the people within our Society who bring those values to life every single day.
A partnership chosen by our members
Our partnership with Samaritans began on World Mental Health Day 2024, after Members overwhelmingly voted for a charity focused on mental health and emotional wellbeing. Following an extensive process involving hundreds of charity applications and almost 17,000 member votes, Samaritans was chosen as our charity partner.
Since then, colleagues, members and customers have embraced the partnership with incredible enthusiasm. From bake sales and in-store raffles to dawn walks and sponsored challenges, fundraising has taken place right across our communities.
Together, we've now raised more than £400,000.
Every pound raised helps Samaritans continue providing free, confidential emotional support around the clock, while also helping recruit and train volunteers, keep local branches open and ensure their phone, email and online chat services remain available whenever someone needs them.
Members and customers can also continue supporting the charity every time they shop through the Pennies scheme, choosing to round up card payments by 10p on purchases over £5 in our food stores and petrol filling stations.
But while fundraising makes a huge difference, many of our colleagues also support Samaritans in another way, by giving their own time.
Supporting people at work... and beyond
One of our Funeral Arrangers from Worcestershire has been volunteering with Samaritans for the past six months and recently began taking calls alongside their mentor.
For them, the decision to volunteer came directly from experiences supporting bereaved families.
"Over Christmas, I met several families who had lost loved ones to suicide. After standing alongside one family, I found myself asking: 'What could I do? How could I help?' Through looking into Samaritans, I discovered there are no magic words - it's simply about having a conversation and truly listening."
In their role at FuneralCoop, they support families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. While the settings may be different, they say the heart of both roles is exactly the same.
"The single most important skill is listening. Both roles are purely about listening without judgement. It's a huge privilege to do this work, and I never take it for granted."
Volunteering has also changed how they approach conversations with families.
"The training reminded me how precious life is, but also how tough things can get for people. It's helped me approach conversations with even greater appreciation, remembering that everyone has the right to choose their own pathway without judgement, and that our job is simply to support them."
A partnership that inspires
Knowing OurCoop supports Samaritans has made the experience even more meaningful.
"It makes me incredibly proud. Knowing that OurCoop supports Samaritans as part of its daily activity actually helped inspire me to apply in the first place. Walking into a shift knowing my workplace backs the cause feels amazing."
For colleagues who may be considering volunteering themselves, their advice is simple: "Just go for it. The training takes time, but you gain so much along the way - new friends, an incredible support network and the chance to make a real difference."
Someone is always there to listen
As we mark Samaritans Awareness Day, it's worth remembering that every fundraiser, every Pennies donation and every conversation helps ensure someone is there when another person reaches out for support.
Our colleague leaves us with one final message: "No matter who you are or what you're going through, there is always someone at the end of the phone, 24/7. If you ever don't know what to say to someone who is struggling, direct them to the Samaritans. They are wonderful people who are always ready to listen."
A huge thank you to every colleague, member and customer who has supported our partnership so far. Whether you've organised a fundraiser, donated through Pennies or simply helped raise awareness, you've helped Samaritans continue their lifesaving work.
Because sometimes, a simple conversation really can change, or even save, a life.