Freemasons’ £30,000 donation secures ‘phones for the future’ for Lincolnshire’s Samaritans

July 30, 2024

Samaritans’ founder Chad Varah took the first call for help in November 1953, when he said the service was just “a man willing to listen, with a base and an emergency telephone.” His legacy is 203 branches nationwide, staffed by 23,000 volunteers. Picture: Samaritans

Thanks to a donation of £30,000 from Lincolnshire Freemasons the vital lifesaving work of the Samaritans’ ‘listening ear’ service in Lincolnshire can continue when copper cable phone lines are phased out next year and replaced with ‘Voice over Internet’ technology.

Lincolnshire Freemasons have stepped in with the donation to buy the latest modern equipment and training in its use for more than 300 volunteers working at five locations in the region, who together answered more than 37,000 cries for help last year.

Samaritans’ Assistant Director of Business Development Jason Jaspal said: “By 2027 the nation’s analogue telephone infrastructure will be switched off. We are working on a new system for Samaritans 203 branches across the country, including five in Lincolnshire, to safeguard our 24-hour helpline service, which supports thousands of people a crisis every day.

We are so grateful to Lincolnshire Freemasons for this generous donation which means we can continue the crucial work of these five branches – not just next year, but for many years into the future, potentially saving many lives.”

Lincolnshire’s senior Freemason Dave Wheeler said: “The value of the work done by Samaritans’ volunteers is beyond priceless. Last year alone their listening volunteers responded to more than 37,000 calls for help from people experiencing their darkest moments, and there’s no reason to suppose the number will be any smaller this year, next year, or any year after that.

We don’t know what personal struggles people around us, or even amongst our own friends or their families, are experiencing – but I have no doubt that this donation will provide a platform for volunteers ready to help steer them though troubled times.”

The funds have come from the Freemasons’ charity the MCF, which is funded entirely by Freemasons through their own fundraising activities, raffles, and collections.

The donation will fund:

New equipment and installation at five Samaritans branches in Lincolnshire
Specialist headsets including Bluetooth and accessibility versions for people with hearing aids
WiFi connectors
Cables and lightweight handsets that look and feel like phone handsets but are connected by USB (for volunteers who don’t like headsets)
Training and support of volunteers to bring them up to speed with the new technology and systems
Volunteers’ expenses so no-one finds finance a barrier to volunteering
Branch outreach in communities across Lincolnshire

Last year, centre by centre

Scunthorpe: 119 volunteers supported 9,579 calls for help
Lincoln: 51 volunteers supported 7,352 calls for help.
Grimsby & Cleethorpes: 40 volunteers (including those who support the running of the shop) supported 5,076 calls for help
Boston: 36 volunteers supported 4,812 calls for help
Grantham: 96 volunteers supported 10,247 contacts through 9,958 helpline calls and 289 online chat conversations.