Charlie Bird to team up with Samaritans as part of new…

Charlie Bird to team up with Samaritans as part of new campaign with special initiative

Legendary RTE broadcaster Charlie Bird has revealed he plans to extend his 'hand of friendship' to Dublin Samaritans for their life-saving work over the next few months.

The mental health charity will team up with Charlie to raise awareness of their services during the winter - urging people to reach out if they need support.

As part of the campaign, Charlie will appear in a special old-school telephone box designed in St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre to meet members of the public next month.

Charlie Bird's caricature for his work with the Samaritans over the next few months (Niall O’Loughlin/Dublin Samaritans)

Charlie said after the success of Climb With Charlie, which raised over €3 million for Irish Motor Neurone's Association and Pieta House, he wanted to support other good causes.

“In the past I knew of a couple of people who were in a dark place and who found solace after they rang and spoke to someone in Samaritans,” said Charlie, launching his awareness campaign at the iconic The Wishing Hand sculpture by Linda Brunker at the Department of Education.

"Given all the pressures that people are under today, I think that it is really important that there is someone there at the end of a phone who will listen to you without making a judgement, at any hour of the day or night.

"Samaritans do a really powerful job. Their volunteers extend the hand of friendship to callers every day. Samaritans are there, on freephone 116 123, to listen to you, no matter what you’re going through - loneliness, isolation, grief, illness, financial hardship, mental health issues and for someone who might be having suicidal thoughts.

Charlie Bird and Claire on the Late Late Show (RTE)

"My motto is simply to extend the hand of friendship and if you need to talk, there is someone to listen."

Olwyn Green, a Dublin Samaritans volunteer, said: "We are so appreciative that Charlie thought of Samaritans and is giving us his time to raise awareness of the work we do.

"People are familiar with our helpline, freephone 116 123, so we had an old-style telephone box made by a support volunteer that we use at events to raise awareness. Charlie had the idea that he would like to be at the phone box to meet people.

"We are all looking forward to being at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre on Friday, 18 ^th November, from 11am, to support him as he extends his hand of friendship.”

Artist Niall O’Loughlin gifted Charlie with a cartoon of Charlie and Tiger at the phone box, which was shown during his recent appearance on The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy.

Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number won’t show up on your phone bill.
Volunteers answer approximately half a million calls a year about loneliness, isolation, relationships, abuse, and, in the last year, the additional struggles brought about by lockdown.
To learn more about Dublin Samaritans or make a donation to the branch visit www.dublinsamaritans.ie