'Being a Samaritans listener can be extraordinary'

Helen Bellis has been volunteering for nearly 20 years

Samaritans volunteers across Scotland are hoping to turn the concept of Blue Monday on its head.

The day, which falls on 16 January this year, has been called the most depressing of the year - although others have dismissed it as a PR stunt to drive up holiday bookings.

Nonetheless, many of the 1,000 or so Samaritans volunteers at the 19 branches across the country will use the occasion as a chance to shine a light on what they do.

Brew Monday events will take place at cafes and tearooms with anyone needing to chat invited along.

At the Borders branch in Selkirk, Helen Bellis, who has been volunteering for almost 20 years, said: "Wintertime tends to be when people are feeling at their lowest and there can be more calls than normal.

"We turn Blue Monday into Brew Monday which allows us to go out and speak to people face-to-face over a cup of coffee or tea.

"People don't need to be on their own, and we would be happy to see lots of people come along and meet us."

Julie Harvey is a trainer at the Borders branch of the Samaritans

Brew Monday also gives anyone thinking about becoming a Samaritans volunteer the opportunity to speak to current call-handlers.

Julie Harvey, who is a trainer at the Borders branch, believes the rewards of helping others far outweigh the emotional pressures that come with the job.

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She said: "I would certainly recommend being a volunteer.

"I honestly can't think of anything I would rather be doing."

About 160,000 calls are made to the Samaritans helpline – 116 123 – every year in Scotland from people mostly in desperate situations.

Craig Knight says calls can cover almost any subject

Craig Knight has been answering many of the calls for the past two years at the Borders branch.

He said: "You get calls about almost anything.

"Some things may seem trivial to one person but they are utterly crucial to others.

"You get a whole raft of calls up to, and including people wanting to take their own life."

He said you had to be prepared to deal with such difficult situations but there were also great rewards.

"The satisfaction of being a listener - listening to people talk through their issues and in many cases talking themselves through to a solution – can be extraordinary," he said.

"Being a Samaritan is a wonderful thing."