SAMARITANS OF TAUNTON AND SOMERSET

Registered charity 1170637 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To listen & talk with persons who are suicidal or in a state of emotional distress who are resident in the Taunton & Somerset area but not exclusively to that area. The volunteers are selected and trained to undertake the sensitive task of listening to callers and help them resolve their issues in accordance with laid down procedures.

Objects

TO ENABLE PERSONS IN TAUNTON AND SOMERSET AND THE SURROUNDING AREA AS WELL AS ELSEWHERE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FEELINGS OF DISTRESS OR DESPAIR, INCLUDING THOSE WHO MAY BE AT RISK OF SUICIDE, TO RECEIVE CONFIDENTIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF SUICIDE;TO PROMOTE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING IN SOCIETY OF SUICIDE, SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR AND THE VALUE OF EXPRESSING FEELINGS WHICH MAY OTHERWISE LEAD TO SUICIDE OR IMPAIRED EMOTIONAL HEALTH; ANDTO COLLABORATE WITH AND SUPPORT SAMARITANS CENTRAL CHARITY AND ITS AFFILIATED BRANCHES IN FULFILLING THESE OBJECTS.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an unrestricted surplus of £20,763 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total unrestricted funds carried forward at £121,314. The trustees maintain a reserves policy to hold at least 18 months of general expenditure, and the actual unrestricted reserves of £121,314 are below the implied target based on the stated annual running cost of approximately £59,000. The trustees confirmed there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

• Alan McDonagh
• Alistair Hallows
• Emma Lewes
• Jacqueline Mary Crawford
• Kirsti Nelson
• Mark Lithgow
• Richard Charles Rawes Jacobs
• Rob Setchell
• Sara Teresa Bannister
• Sarah Burge
• Wendy Overshott

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Somerset

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).