24 July 2026 •
GBR Anglia is supporting Samaritans on its annual ‘24/7’ awareness day.
The suicide prevention charity has 19,000 listening volunteers across UK and Ireland, and uses the day to promote its service, which is available around the clock.
As part of its work, Samaritans has been training railway staff across the country, equipping them with vital skills that could help save a life.
More than 900 colleagues have been trained across c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia in how to recognise someone who may be suicidal, how to approach them and how to start a conversation.
The course provides training for rail staff working in all manner of roles, teaching them some of the essential listening skills that underpin Samaritans’ services, as well as how to safely resolve a situation and refer a person to friends, family, the British Transport Police or Samaritans to receive further support.
Since July 2025, rail staff and British Transport Police have started a total of 134 potentially life-saving conversations across the railway in Anglia. Almost 1,000 have taken place since 2021, highlighting the difference a brief conversation can make when someone may be in distress.
Network Rail Anglia also have two embedded NHS mental health nurses. In the last two years, more than 150 people have received direct support, including immediate intervention, follow-up care and coordinated help with NHS and community partners.
Earlier in 2026, c2c’s Kick4Kindness football tournament saw £5,000 raised for local mental health charities, including Basildon & Thurrock and Southend Samaritans.
Lee Parlett, GBR Anglia’s Health, Safety, Security & Environment Director, said:
“We’re proud to support Samaritans’ work on this 24/7 awareness day.
“Our teams across the railway in Anglia have not only raised funds for the charity, but have undertaken vital training to give them the confidence to approach people who are vulnerable or who may need help on the railway, potentially starting a life-saving conversation.”
Anne-Marie Alderson, Programme Manager at Samaritans, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to Anglia’s railway for marking Samaritans Awareness Day and reminding people that we are here for anyone in crisis 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We hope anyone who needs support knows they don’t need to face things alone. Please reach out because we know listening can save lives.”
Anyone can contact Samaritans for emotional support for free by calling 116 123 or visiting them in person at a number of their local branches or by visiting their website.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About GBR Anglia
GBR Anglia brings together c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia under one unified leadership team as part of the wider journey towards Great British Railways.
This new structure is part of wider plans to create Great British Railways (GBR), bringing track and train closer together to deliver a better, more joined-up railway for customers and communities in Anglia.
The structure is designed to support closer operational coordination across infrastructure, train services and customer delivery.
Existing ticketing and customer arrangements remain unchanged, and customers will continue to see the current company identities as the railway transitions towards GBR.
The Anglia route serves a fast-growing region, connecting commuters, leisure travellers, ports, power stations and more, as well as Stansted and Southend airports.
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
About DFTO
- DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027.
- The group’s current train operating companies are: c2c, Greater Anglia, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and WM Trains (London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway).
- DFTO runs more than 8,500 services each weekday and delivers more than 660 million customer journeys across its networks every year.
IMAGES
Featured Image: You Are Not alone – Samaritans