As the Branch Director of Samaritans of Taunton and Somerset, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Taunton Round Table for their incredible work in organizing the recent gala dinner at Taunton School.

And thank you to everyone who came along to make it such a memorable occasion.

The event was a resounding success, raising vital funds that will enable us to enhance our services and reach more people in need.

Our branch is staffed by over 100 dedicated volunteers who provide extensive emotional support over twenty thousand calls annually.

Conversations address a wide range of issues, most commonly mental and physical health, loneliness, family and relationship problems.

One in four will explore suicidal thoughts.

I welcome the recent articles in this paper highlighting suicide rates in Somerset and the important local initiatives which will raise awareness and support people to become more comfortable approaching and discussing such difficult matters.

We can all make a difference here.

Samaritans is committed to supporting individuals in crisis and raising awareness about mental health.

We encourage anyone interested in volunteering to contact us through our branch website.

Our comprehensive training program equips volunteers with the necessary skills to provide empathetic support.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to Samaritans.

You can contact us by calling 116 123 (free from any phone).

Alistair Hallows

Taunton