News > HELP SAVE SANEline: a message for friends and supporters

Created: 2005-04-13 16:26:34

Because of the uncertainty and damage caused by late payment by the Department of Health of monies due on a contract to provide the SANEline service, and its decision not to renew dedicated funding for the helpline from April, the closures of the helprooms in Bristol and Macclesfield announced in January will come into effect from 31 March 2005.

The London helproom will remain open but, for the time being, we will not be able to maintain the 14-hour a day service we have offered. From 1 April 2005, SANEline will be open from 12 noon to 11.00pm from Monday to Friday and from 12 noon to 6.00pm at weekends.

Our helpline volunteers and staff give outstanding commitment to SANEline, providing information, advice and emotional support to distressed, anxious or concerned individuals and families. We continue to press the Government to reconsider the situation and provide the funds needed to sustain the country’s most experienced and effective specialist mental health helpline and the unique and life-saving service it provides. We are also launching an emergency appeal in order to save the remaining SANEline service and to ensure that, over time, we are able to rebuild the service to its previous levels and beyond. We hope our friends and supporters will give generously to support this appeal.

If you can make a donation to SANE, please click here or contact our Fundraising Department on 020 7422 5554.

We desperately need your help to ensure that the remaining service, which is so vital to our callers, is not further eroded. Please support our emergency appeal by making a donation to SAVE SANEline.

A Times leader “SAVE SANEline” on 24 March highlighted the threat to SANEline as a result of the Government’s actions and called on Ministers to move swiftly to rescue the helpline. Other press generated by the closures includes an article in the Mail on Sunday in January, an Evening Standard leader on 17 March and an article by Simon Jenkins in the same issue.