Samaritans Isle of Man has been thanked for providing vital services at the Isle of Man Prison for more than 20 years by the Lieutenant Governor and Lady Gozney.

The prison team from Samaritans Isle of Man was invited to Government House as a thank you to volunteers for their hard work and dedication over the past two decades. Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey MHK, Prison Governor Bob McColm and Prison board members were also present.

Individual members of the Samaritans’ prison team, established by then Director of Samaritans Isle of Man Suzanne Harding, take turns to visit the prison weekly to talk to and offer confidential judgement-free support to inmates. Samaritans Isle of Man is one of the few branches of the charity to have a dedicated prison team.

Samaritans is a not-for-profit organisation providing support for anyone who is struggling to cope or needs someone to talk to. The service is run by volunteers who offer a lifeline for people when they need it the most.

Gill Porter, Director of Samaritans Isle of Man, said: ‘Life can be really tough, especially for those who might not have anyone to talk to when they need help. We want to make sure everyone has someone there to listen and share their troubles with if they are struggling, no matter what the circumstances might be.’

Suzanne Harding, past-Director of Samaritans Isle of Man, added: ‘We felt there was a need for a scheme for the prisoners in the Island, firstly at Victoria Road and now Jurby. As the scheme has gone on it has been tailored and reflects our small community. We initially had some struggles with acceptance but it has developed into a service that remains free, used by all and readily accepted as part of prison life on a Saturday morning.’

For more information please visit http://www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-isle-man.

Photo - Samaritans Isle of Man prison team.