Worthing is the only Samaritans branch in south east England picked for closure. The 116 123 helpline is not affected, and volunteers are being offered places at other branches such as Brighton.

Worthing Samaritans is to close. It is the only branch in south east England named for closure in the first round of the charity’s national restructure.

The branch has taken calls in Worthing since April 1969. Around 120 volunteers answer calls from its centre at 2 Lennox Road.

Calls to the free helpline, 116 123, are not affected. They are answered by the first free volunteer anywhere in the UK and Ireland, and they have been for more than ten years.

What Samaritans has decided

Samaritans set out the closures on its website on 26 October, in a chapter of its plans headed “Evolving our structure” (Samaritans). The charity says it has 200 branches and expects to have around half that number in ten years, with some larger branches. It says it will get there through mergers, relocations, larger branches “and regrettably the closure of some”.

The first phase covers three areas: Scotland, the South East of England, and Yorkshire and Humberside. It names seven branches to close and five to merge:

Area Closing Merging
Scotland Caithness, Orkney, Shetland, Stornoway Elgin and Inverness, into a new location
South East England Worthing None
Yorkshire and Humberside Grimsby, Scunthorpe Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield, into a West Yorkshire hub at Bradford

The charity’s reason is how calls now work. Each branch used to have its own phone number. Since the single number 116 123 came in, a caller reaches whichever volunteer is free first, wherever they are. Samaritans says fewer, larger branches will let it “be even more able to answer calls, quickly”.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has given their time at these branches over the years,” the charity said. “We are supporting all affected volunteers and hope they will stay with Samaritans.”

The page does not give a closing date for any branch.

What the Worthing branch says

The branch’s own page now carries a section headed “Closure?” (Worthing Samaritans). It says Worthing Samaritans “is currently facing closure” because of the national charity’s plans for “future proofing”.

It points out that Worthing Samaritans is an independent charity, affiliated to the national one. It is a charitable incorporated organisation, number 1170392, and has been affiliated since 2015.

“Volunteers are being offered places at other local branches, such as Brighton,” the page says. “Many of the volunteers are disappointed, and are engaged in campaigning in the media and in other ways to highlight the issue and try to reverse the decision.”

Brighton’s branch is about 11 miles east.

Fifty-seven years in Worthing

The branch’s history page sets out how it grew (Worthing Samaritans, our history):

  • 1969: Worthing and District Samaritans opened in April in rooms in Rivoli Buildings, Chapel Road, leased from the borough council. 175 people called in the first year.
  • 1976: the Lennox Road centre opened in October, after planning approval passed by a single vote.
  • 1982: calls topped 10,000 a year for the first time.
  • 1995: the Mayor recognised the branch in Worthing’s New Year Honours for handling a quarter of a million calls since it opened.
  • 2008: the branch took 27,498 calls and began supporting the Listener scheme at HMP Ford.
  • 2017: it answered more than 25,000 calls, over 1,500 emails and more than 2,000 texts.

The branch also runs a charity shop in Strand Parade, Goring-by-Sea, near Durrington station, and a team that visits HMP Ford.

What it means for you

  • If you need to talk, nothing changes. Call 116 123, free, at any time of day or night. You will reach a trained volunteer, though not necessarily one in Worthing. The Worthing centre was already closed to face-to-face visitors.
  • If you volunteer at Lennox Road, the national charity says you are being offered a place at another branch, such as Brighton. It is also piloting remote volunteering on night shifts with around 120 volunteers, though it says that is optional and not yet rolled out.
  • If you want to support the branch, its page still takes donations, and the Goring shop is still asking for volunteers.

Neither page says what will happen to the Lennox Road building or the Goring shop.

Sources