"I cried when I saved her life": Local hero Chris Colin marks 50 Years as a Samaritan

Chris began his work with the Samaritans in 1975, shortly after starting his first job following university.

“At the time, I was working on the Newcastle Metro and didn’t know anyone up there. I thought, what can I do to meet people? So I joined the Samaritans, and it went on from there,” Chris recalls.

Over the years, his work has taken him across the country, allowing him to join local branches wherever he moved, instantly connecting with a supportive community of volunteers.

Reflecting on his long service, Chris said: “I always say I got more out of it than I put in. It’s a rewarding thing to do.

“There are a lot of very lonely people out there, very sad people that just need someone to talk to, and that’s what we do. We listen.”

He describes his approach as helping people untangle their thoughts.

“Sometimes I describe it as having a tumble dryer with loads of clothes in it. When they talk to us, we help them take the clothes out, fold them down, and they can see what their troubles are in a bit more realistic way,” he said.

“But we don’t tell people what to do, it’s all about talking and listening.”

Chris’ work has included volunteering at major events such as the Leeds music festival.

One encounter, in particular, left a lasting impression.

“There was a girl who had decided she was going to take her life on the Sunday night after she’d seen her favourite band. I saw her several times throughout the course of the festival, and thankfully she didn’t go through with it,” he explained.

“The next year she came back, and by chance I was there again. She popped up in front of me and said, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead by now.’

“I thought, ‘oh God’… and that stuck with me because so often we don’t know what happens to people afterwards. Sometimes we talk to someone for an hour or two, and we never hear what happened next.

“But she came back to thank me, which was lovely. I probably burst into tears when she’d gone - tears of joy.”

Chris also offers advice for those considering becoming a volunteer.

“There aren’t many six-week courses you can do that will actually change you but this will,” he said.

“It gives you a different way of communicating with people.

“We’re often keen to solve problems, but sometimes that’s not what’s needed - it’s just listening, being there, letting someone work through their own problems.”

For anyone considering the service, Chris urges people to just do it.

“You might not instantly connect with the first person you talk to, but keep trying,” he said.

“There was a lady who ended up as chair of the national Samaritans, and in her teens she had a lot of trouble. She said she phoned a thousand times before she actually spoke to someone she stuck with - you’ve just got to try.

“It isn’t easy at first to share your innermost thoughts, but it gets easier once you start.”

Whether it’s helping someone through a short conversation or guiding them towards specialist services, Chris said the impact of volunteering is immeasurable.

His dedication is a testament to the power of listening, and Sheffield is lucky to have him as a local hero.