NEWPORT & Gwent Samaritans is set to double its capacity to offer support to distressed people by moving to new premises with the support of a leading builders merchant.
Selco Builders Warehouse, which has two branches in Cardiff, has provided hundreds of pounds worth of materials to help the Newport-based charity relocate from its current central Newport premises on Baker Street to a new home on Waters Lane.
Newport & Gwent Samaritans currently answer around 10,000 calls every year but is confident the move, which at time of writing was expected to be completed by the end of June, will help to significantly increase that number.
Sharon Beckett, a director of the charity, said: “Our current premises allow for a maximum of two people to take calls at any one time and we hope to increase that number to four when we move.
“While we deal with a high number of calls every year, we are unable to answer them as quickly as they come in so it’s vital we took this opportunity to increase our capacity. Calls that we take are from distressed people who are often at risk of suicide or self-harm and our well-trained volunteers give over 200 hours a week to listen to these people.
“When we first started working at the new premises to get it into a fit state for us to occupy, it quickly became clear it was going to cost far more than we anticipated and hoped, so Selco’s donation has been crucial. They have provided so much, from paint to skirting boards and brushes to rollers to help us deliver the vision for our new home. I get emotional thinking about the support they have provided because it’s going to make such a difference to the services we can provide, as well as being a hub which can host meetings and gatherings of local community groups.”
Selco’s Cardiff branches are based on Parc Ty Glas in Llanishen and on Hadfield Road.
Carine Jessamine, marketing director at Selco, said: “We are delighted to lend our support to the Newport & Gwent Samaritans which does such fantastic work across a large part of Wales. We know that the number of people facing mental health challenges is rising in general and is also high amongst those working in the trade and construction sector. The increased capacity the Samaritans will enjoy in its new location is going to make a huge difference to the vitally important service provided by the charity and we are glad to have played a part in making the move happen.”
For contact details, see page 9 of our June/July 2023 issue on our Back Issues page.
