IT'S ALL FOR CHARITY!

Welcome to our charities, volunteer services and

community help section.

AN OVERVIEW AND SHORT HISTORY OF SALISBURY SAMARITANS

Samaritans vision is that fewer people die by suicide. However, Samaritans are there for anyone feeling vulnerable and wishing to speak to someone about their feelings in a safe environment, being treated with empathy and not being judged or given advice.

Salisbury Samaritans is a vibrant branch with just over 100 active Listening Volunteers. In 2023/2024 the branch listened to callers for over 20,490 hours with 20,970 contacts, 80% of which were by phone and the remaining contacts by email.

The branch has a long and distinguished history. It was formed as a Samaritans branch in 1966 and initially based at St Mary’s Retreat House. Volunteers in the early years included housewives, businessmen, retirees and schoolgirls! The qualities necessary then were ‘sympathy, patience and elementary psychiatry’. In 1968, the branch took 250 calls.

In 1979 Salisbury Samaritans was granted charity status and moved to 42 Milford Street where we stayed until 2022.

Our branch is self-funding and relies on donations from the public, legacies from Wills and through local fundraising activities. Back in the early 1990’s the branch found novel ways to raise awareness and funds with a fashion Show at Salisbury College, and a van called Millie which was decked out with Samaritans signage and parked itself in pub car parks, outdoor events and supermarkets.

In 2022, Salisbury Samaritans moved to its current and more spacious premises at No 10 Barnack Business Centre. They are proving to be a great success with a better Operations Room and an in-house Training Room.

Our goal, apart from answering calls and emails, is to support the local community which includes a close relationship with the military in Wiltshire and supporting Samaritans Listeners scheme in HMP Erlestoke.

Salisbury Samaritans is always looking for new Listening Volunteers. However, for those who may not have the time to give that commitment, we are also looking for Support Volunteers to help the running of the branch, plus Trustees.

Salisbury Samaritans Co-Directors, Jen and Hester

Raising funds for the branch remains an important activity and we are grateful to those individuals and organisations who support us throughout the year in different ways. We have recently established an annual Dawn Walk marking World Mental Health Day in October.

Jen, one of the branch Co-Directors commented “One of the best ways to listen to someone is whilst doing a task together, washing the dishes, or going for a walk are just two examples of a way of starting a tricky conversation within a safe environment. The Dawn Walk is a chance to walk from the Beehive Park and Ride into the city taking in the many views of our city that can only been seen on foot. You can chat to friends and neighbours whilst getting some exercise! Anyone can join this walk as an individual or a group.”

If you would like to know more about the branch, make a donation, or enquire about being a Listening or Support Volunteer, search for Salisbury Samaritans on the web,

www.samaritans.org/branches/salisbury/

In the meantime, if you need someone to talk to, we listen. Whatever you are going through, you can call us at any time from any phone for free on 116 123, or email us at: jo@samaritans.org

www.samaritans.org

SALISBURY HOSPICE CHARITY

Formed in 1981, Salisbury Hospice Charity jointly funds palliative care services with the NHS.

Through its activities it has funded the building of the Hospice and several subsequent extensions and refurbishments. It is committed to raising £1.5 million each year to maintain and develop the services.

In some cases, it is the sole funder of a service or activity.

It provides a base for the full range of specialist palliative care services, including a 10- bed in-patient unit, a community service palliative care team, a hospital support team, day care, social work and a bereavement service.

Fundraising is vital to the work of the hospice.

In April 2024, a sponsored midnight

walk, organised by the hospice, raised a staggering £42,000. Well done to everyone involved.

SALISBURY CHARITY SUPPORTING THE 'BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE'

Sir Ralph Turner, a former Gurkha officer and prominent philologist, once described the Gurkhas as “Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you”.

For any unaware, the Gurkhas are soldiers from Nepal who are recruited into the British Army and have been for the last 200 years. They are known to be as fearless in combat as they are good natured in daily life. To this day, they remain renowned for their loyalty, professionalism and bravery.

In 1969, in recognition of Britain’s debt of honour to these soldiers, many of whom faced destitution on their return to Nepal, a public appeal led by eight of our greatest wartime Field Marshals raised £1m to establish the charity ‘The Gurkha Welfare Trust’. Fast forward to the modern day and the organisation has gone from strength to strength, ensuring that elderly Gurkha veterans and their families have everything they need to live with dignity in the hills of Nepal. The organisation currently employs over 500 staff across 20 ‘welfare centres’ there, delivering vital financial, medical and community aid.

Here in the UK, all of the money and awareness for the cause is raised via one small office, located in the centre of Salisbury. Having been located here since 2008, the organisation primarily raises funds through public appeals and events, all of which is then spent in Nepal.

To find out more about the Trust’s work you can visit www.gwt.org.uk

CATS PROTECTION

A BRIEF HISTORY

Founded in 1927 as the Cats Protection League by Jessey Wade, following a meeting at Caxton Hall London, to raise the status of the domestic cat. They opened their HQ in Slough in 1935 where they stayed until 1978 prior to moving to Horsham in Sussex. In 1949 they formally began to champion neutering to control cat numbers. A legacy in the 1950s enabled them to open their first shelter in Haslemere in Surrey. In the 1960s they launched their first neutering voucher scheme, and this was extended nationwide from January 1970. 1979 saw their first three objectives published for the first time which are rehoming cats and kittens, informing the public about cat care, and encouraging neutering. In 1989, the charity dropped the word ‘League’ from its title and rebranded with a new logo, and in 1990 they produced their first teaching pack for use in schools. They moved to their present HQ at Chelwood Gate Sussex alongside the UK’s largest Adoption Centre in 2004. Last year a further rebranding took place to try and attract more young people into volunteering for the organisation.

Salisbury and District Cats Protection came into existence thanks to a group of cat loving volunteers. We have a committee, which consists of a Branch Co- ordinator, Branch Treasurer, Homing Co-ordinator, a Fund-Raising Team and a group of 10 fosterers. As we have no rehoming centre in Salisbury, the nearest being Verwood, the fosterers either have pens in their gardens, a designated cat room in their house, or the cats/kittens are allowed to have free roam of the house.

We receive vouchers through a link with Pets at Home, which we spend on food and necessary equipment, and this is backed up by our donation baskets at Pets at Home, Tesco Southampton Road, Mole Valley Stores and Avon Lodge Vets in Salisbury, Wilton and Amesbury. There are also collecting boxes at The Duke of York Public House in York Road, The Yard in Dews Road, and Pet Practice on Churchfields. People can also donate cat food and other items via our telephone helpline. Food and items will be collected if there is no transport available or they can be deposited at one of our collection baskets in the Salisbury area.

The charity’s vision is a Society where every cat has their best possible life because they are protected, cared for and understood by everyone.

Contact can be made to us through the helpline on 01722 664606 or by email at enquiries@salisbury.cats.org.uk and our website is www.salisbury.cats.org.uk

SALISBURY HOSPICE and THE DUKE OF YORK

Last year almost £2,500 was raised by the Duke of York for Salisbury Hospice. Some of this was raised through special fundraising events, and a good deal of thanks should go to Jonty Newbery for this. Some of the money was raised through the regular Sunday night quiz and some was raised through the charity boxes on the bar. There were also some private donations.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this impressive figure.

ADVANCE WARNING: There will be a Midnight Walk fundraising event organised by the Hospice (nothing to do with the pub) on Saturday 27 April. More details in the next magazine.