Our speakers on the 15th January, 2014, were Bill and Maurice from the Norwich Branch of The Samaritans. Bill gave the presentation and he was assisted at question time by Maurice. Bill pointed out that The Samaritans was not formed to give advice to callers but was there to listen and to give emotional support to those who called. The switchboard is open throughout the country twenty four hours a day for 365 days a year. There are two hundred branches countrywide with some 21,000 volunteers whose ages range from 17 to 84 years. The duties of the volunteers are that they carry out one four hour shift every week and are expected to do ten all night duties per year. There is no religious connection and every caller is guaranteed complete confidentiality and support. No judgments are made and nothing would be disclosed without the consent of the caller. The service is available to prisons and some 160 prisons are supported nationally with the Norwich Branch supporting the prisons at Norwich and the Bure. As well as by telephone contact can be made face to face or by e-mail and text. Funding is all voluntary, by way of donations, and the Norwich Branch has two shops in the City which help defray the expenses of the
more One of the most ingenious escape attempts of the Second World War.