Samaritans opens university volunteer hub in Chelmsford

Samaritans opened its new hub at Anglia Ruskin University's Chelmsford campus on Tuesday

Students have been invited to help take calls for an emergency hotline after a charity opened a hub in a university campus.

The suicide prevention charity, Samaritans, opened its hub at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), in Chelmsford, Essex, on Tuesday.

Trained students, staff and alumni have now been offered the chance to provide emotional support.

Thirty volunteers have signed up across campuses in Chelmsford and Cambridge.

They would be able to support people via an online chat service and, in time, over the phone.

ARU said it is the only university providing hub locations to Samaritans, with the Chelmsford service becoming the first of its kind in Essex.

Anglia Ruskin University has a campus in Chelmsford

Lis Skeet, from Samaritans, said there is "clearly an appetite" within the university community to help others, with more than 755 hours of volunteering already completed.

'Genuine privilege'

ARU staff member Louise, who did not give her surname, said the work was "one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done".

"It gives me the opportunity to engage with individuals from all different backgrounds, each with their own unique experiences and challenges," she said.

"Being able to lend a listening ear is a genuine privilege."

Students from mental health nursing, paramedic practice and social work courses have had one-week placements with the charity included in their education following the hub's opening.

"By working with Anglia Ruskin University, we're able to build our volunteer base with people from all walks of life so we can continue to be there in the future for anyone who needs us," added the hub's service director Colin Hill.