Samaritans Awareness Day: Mansfield branch receives donation from nearby housing association

Samaritans Mansfield provides a confidential 24-hour support service for people experiencing distress or despair, including those at risk of suicide.

The donation will help Samaritans Mansfield’s 55 volunteers from all backgrounds respond to approximately 10,000 calls each year and provide vital help for those in the town and surrounding areas.

Samaritans Awareness Day is held annually on the 24/7 date, raising awareness that Samaritans is there to listen to anybody who is struggling to cope, at any time of the day or night.

According to UK Parliament, 7,055 deaths were recorded as caused suicide in 2023, with this year experiencing the highest suicide rate since 1999.

Platform is committed to leaving a lasting legacy at its developments, beyond providing of the affordable homes, including at its Shirebrook development.

Built to the highest possible standard by five-star housebuilder Linden Homes, Platform is delivering 63 Shared Ownership homes in Shirebrook to meet the needs of a variety of buyers, including first-timers, commuters, downsizers and more.

The energy-efficient two-, three- and four-bedroom homes are available in terraced and semi-detached styles, with the affordable scheme making the dream of home ownership more accessible and achievable.

The homes at Shirebrook have been designed and built with modern living in mind, with space, versatility and contemporary fittings and fixings all playing a key part.

Diane Humphreys, Branch Director at Samaritans Mansfield, said: “Our experienced team undertakes vital work to ensure those who are struggling are aware of and can access the crucial support that is available to them.

“Our trained volunteers are there to listen, and anybody can call us free of charge at any time, from any phone, on 116 123.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from Platform, which will help our volunteers continue providing emotional support to those who need it most.”

Sabina Cox, marketing manager at Platform, said: “We hope this donation will go a long way to supporting people who need it most in and around Mansfield.”

“We are passionate about giving back to the communities we provide homes for and will continue to support important local organisations as our Shirebrook development progresses and beyond.”

Shared Ownership has increasingly become a more popular and viable route towards owning a home outright, with Platform seeing over double the reservations at this stage of the 2025/26 financial year when comparing to the previous year.

The affordable scheme allows home seekers to purchase a share of their home and pay rent on the remaining amount, typically buying between 10% and 75% of the property’s full market value, depending on the model purchased with.*

This lowers the amount needed for a deposit, with most deposits on Shared Ownership schemes between 5% and 10% of the share and not the full amount.

Through the process of staircasing, those using Shared Ownership can gradually increase the amount of their home that they own.

Excellent transport links connect Shirebrook with nearby Mansfield and providing easy access to larger urban centres like Nottingham, Derby, and beyond, making it an ideal location for commuters and those seeking a balanced lifestyle.

For more information on Samaritans Mansfield please visit https://www.samaritans.org/branches/mansfield/