Sir Chris Hoy opens Samaritans branch in Macclesfield

The Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy has opened a new branch of the Samaritans charity, where his wife Sarra is a volunteer listener.

He said the service was significant "at a time when the nation's mental health seems to be at an all-time low".

Sarra Hoy has volunteered for the charity since 2013 after working as a lawyer in personal injury claims, saying she "wanted to be able to support people not just in the legal sense but emotional too".

Established in Macclesfield since 1963, the branch, which has about 90 volunteers, has moved to larger premises following a plan that was set up before lockdown.