Night Owls wanted by Limerick Tipperary Samaritans

Limerick and Tipperary Samaritans are launching a major volunteer recruitment campaign to encourage Night Owls to get involved and help change people’s lives.

Samaritans operate a 24-hour emotional support helpline, 116 123, with volunteers in Limerick among those answering calls late into the evening and throughout the night.

The branch is appealing to people to consider training to become a volunteer to cover overnight duties when callers can be most in need of someone to listen and other supports are not available.

Lorraine Thornbury, a volunteer and Limerick Tipperary Branch Director, said no qualifications are needed to join a branch, just time and the ability to be there for others.

“Being a volunteer is very rewarding and you really feel like you are giving something back,” said Lorraine.

“Volunteering late at night or into the early hours of the morning can be particularly rewarding, as you have the opportunity to be there for callers when they’re most in need of someone to listen.

You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to be there to listen and care. We’re here to let people know they’re not a burden and there’s always someone they can turn to, day or night.”

There are 16 Samaritans branches across Ireland with over 1,500 active volunteers on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They answer 400,000 calls and emails a year.

While Samaritans is a suicide prevention charity, its message is to encourage people to reach our before an issue becomes too overwhelming. The majority of calls focus on mental health, loneliness and isolation, and family and relationship issues.