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Dublin: 11 °C Tuesday 21 May, 2013

Samaritans take to the streets of Dublin’s north inner city

Volunteers will be available in public areas in the inner city to encourage people to talk about their problems.

A billboard in Dublin's inner city
A billboard in Dublin's inner city
Image: Dublin Samaritans

VOLUNTEERS FROM THE Dublin branch of the Samaritans are taking to the streets in parts of Dublin’s north inner city to encourage people to talk about their problems.

A number of volunteers will be in public areas around the Five Lamps area of the inner city for one week from today to provide support to anyone who wants to talk to them. The charity will also speak at church services in the area and work with local community groups.

The north inner city has been particularly affected by high levels of poverty and unemployment.

The charity says that its aim is to provide emotional support to people who are in crisis or at risk of suicide. Volunteers will be available every day between 12 noon and 2pm in public areas every day this week.

Dublin Samaritans have run similar weeks in Ballymun and Dun Laoghaire in previous years. Eileen Foley, the director of the Dublin branch of the Samaritans, said the organisation wanted to reach out to its own local community in the north inner city.

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Comments (10 Comments)

  • I would rather see Samaritans volunteers on the streets than ‘charity muggers’

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  • A fantastic service by a group of amazing dedicated people

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  • You are not being cynical you are being ignorant the samaratins are not a political lobbying group, get real they do great work at the front line lets hope one day you dont need someone to talk to , clown

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  • Fantastic people whose unselfish work hugely benefits others and is beyond measure. Well done to journal.ie for highlighting the story too.

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  • Great to see a genuine support group on the streets actively helping people, other than the self-serving pestering other groups engage in.

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  • Suicide has effected both mine and my husband’s family. It is totally devastating for all concerned. Anything that can be done to prevent even one family go through the pain and loss and save one person from suicide is worth trying. Best of luck to the Samaritans with this initiative and well done journal.ie for covering it.

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  • Turn2me 30/04/12 #

    Great work, once again being done by the Samaritans. Also the team of dedicated volunteers, who give their time, gratis.

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  • Hate to be the cynic here but this just seems like a publicity stunt personally I would rather they spent the 2 hrs a day contacting the government and explaining how their policies are having a devastating negative impact on people’s life’s especially the most vulnerable.

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    • mcbab 29/04/12 #

      Stupid comment Sid. Grow up.

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    • A publicity stunt with what aim? To raise awareness of the service offered? Sounds like a good idea to me, It’s not as if Samaritans are selling anything – they want people to know the service is there to be accessed. I hardly think that’s a “stunt”!
      As far as I’m aware, Samaritans are non-political, and are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, to offer confidential emotional support – that’s what they’re for – not a lobbying group.
      Why slag off something positive? Don’t we have enough people spending two hours a day giving feedback to the government?

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