'I didn't know what to do when someone needed my help. I never want to be in that position again'

Chris Peacock recounts the moment he decided he wanted to help others.

"I had a situation in my life where there was somebody who had expressed that they were suicidal, and I didn't really know what to say or what to do, and I wanted to help that person", he said.

"I wanted to help.

"I was really aware that I didn't know what to say or what to do".

It was an experience that had a huge impact on the 39-year-old. And it spurred him on to make a change.

Chris decided to become a Samaritans volunteer just over a year ago to provide a lifeline voice for people who have hit rock bottom.

"I never wanted to be in that position again, I wanted to be able to support somebody if they were in that situation," he explained.

"When I was able able to help that person even in a really small way it ignited something in me. I want to do more, I want to help other people.

"Even if you can make that small difference by listening to someone for half an hour, that can make a massive difference to someone's life. You can absolutely tell those calls where you've made a difference."

Volunteers at Samaritans have shared what made them want to work with the helpline. Samaritans provides invaluable support to anybody who needs help, but despite the enormous dedication of volunteers, sadly demand is rising.

Data provided to the Manchester Evening News by Samaritans has revealed that the service in Manchester received 22,000 calls over the last 12 months. That's an average of just over 60 calls every day from people who are struggling and in need of help.

These calls were taken by the team of 139 people who volunteer to listen over the phone. The service is now actively recruiting due to the high volumes of calls coming in.

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In particular, the service needs more people to help support on the night shifts. Late at night can often be a busy time for calls coming in as well.

Chris encourages anyone who would like to volunteer to sign up. But he urged people to be prepared for what they might have to deal with. He said: "I would say if you've any inkling or desire or you think it would be something you are good at (then sign up). It's hard, there are some calls I can take which will be tough.

"I don't think that will be a surprise to anybody. But if you think that's something you will be able to do then have a think about it.

"There's a huge amount of support. If you're starting to think 'I would like to volunteer' I would say it's absolutely worth exploring."

As for the need for more volunteers, Chris said it's the night shift which is often the busiest time. He added that this is only compounded over the weekend when people have been on a night out or are unable to sleep at home.

"You're very rarely in a position where you're waiting for a call to come through," he said. "The only time with that is a very early morning shift.

"It's always busy. There's gaps on the rota so absolutely there's space for more volunteers. A lot of people do call in the night, there's people who need that listening and support even in the middle of the night."

Volunteers receive training to make sure they are able to provide the support people need. There is also support offered to volunteers to check in with them.

If you need to talk to someone you can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. The Samaritans number will not appear on your phone bill.