Resistance to change in the lifesaving work of the Samaritans | Letters

Readers respond to Peter Ormerod’s piece about the organisation’s plans to close half of its branches and move volunteers to ‘regional hubs’, with some working from homeUnlike Peter Ormerod (I was a Samaritan – I love Samaritans. But for the sake of all who take those calls, it must change course, 29 July), I am a still Samaritan, and spent several hours last Tuesday on the phone to some extremely distressed callers. I did that from what was formerly the front bedroom of a ramshackle Edwardian terrace house, which has room for just two workstations.The words “call centre” have been widely used to depict the charity’s proposed shift to larger, more modern branches. I wonder how many readers who work in comfortable, modern offices housing 20 (or even more) desks would consider themselves marooned in an inhuman “call centre” (or “regional hub” as Ormerod labels them)? Continue reading...

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