REPRESENTATIVES from the Samaritans will be in the Strand Shopping Centre in Douglas tomorrow (Sunday) to highlight the work they do.

Tomorrow marks the charity's national awareness day.

Sylvia Hall, Isle of Man branch director, said: "Sunday July 24 - 24:7 - is the ideal day to raise awareness of the vital work of our volunteers. We will be in the Strand Shopping Centre all day (from 11.30am to 4pm) where everyone is welcome to come and see us talk about the work we do.

"Samaritans is the only national service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering support to anyone struggling to cope."

Sponsored by Admiral, the theme of this year's awareness day, Putting the pieces together 24:7, aims to show how every Samaritans branch is equally vital in helping the charity provide its 24/7 service.

Tasked with creating an image celebrating Samaritans, the Isle of Man is one of 119 of the charity's branches across the British Isles to submit a piece of artwork.

The Island's piece is a three tier cake, showing photographs of the volunteers on the base. Then it shows the possible ways of contacting the Samaritans - by phone, email, text and in writing. It's topped off by a large cake in the shape of a telephone.

Using all 119 images, Samritans commissioned artists Grit Hartung and Marilou Rabourdi to produce a national piece of artwork including the Isle of Man's submission.

The final piece is a flexible structure, primarily made out of origami.

Spelling out the words Call Us and Join Us it uses the branch images printed in black and white to represent night and day, symbolic of the Samaritans' 24 hour service.