Samaritans on a soap box

Yesterday, on 24 July, the UK charity Samaritans launched 24/7 day, an awareness raiser that acknowledges how their helpline is open continuously – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

With hundreds of trained volunteers on the end of the line, ready to help those who have reached the end of hope, Samaritans’ mission is to continue to “prevent suicide today. Because tomorrow’s too late”.

Partnering with Gusto Film on creative and production, this campaign features a bold film directed by Tom Staniford. Set on a busy city street corner, the film follows a seemingly reserved, middle-aged man (played by actor and Samaritan volunteer of 12 years, Dan Crowder) as he decides to step into the spotlight.

Climbing on to a bench he delivers a spoken-word monologue that cuts to the heart of Britain’s mental health crisis. The moving script reveals that “one in four of us have had thoughts of ending it,” because “life can be brilliant, but it can also be brutal.”