Samaritans volunteers in the Republic of Ireland answered almost 40,000 calls in December 2019 with more than 50 volunteers answering over 1,150 calls and written contacts on Christmas day alone.
Bernie Keane and her brother Thomas Carbery will be on-call this Christmas day for the Samaritans Waterford branch.
Ms Keane said it’s “no sacrifice” for her to volunteer on Christmas as she loves being there for people who need someone to talk to.
“I find it very rewarding to volunteer on Christmas Day,” said Bernie, who joined Samaritans 12 years ago.
“A lot of places close for Christmas, like care and day centres, and there are very lonely people, some with mental health issues, who may not see anyone for the whole of Christmas. Giving them 15 minutes just to talk to someone can make a difference.