Samaritans: Worthing volunteer says charity helped him rediscover himself after going blind suddenly

Mark White, 51, felt worthless after losing his sight to glaucoma when he was young but he credits Worthing Samaritans with saving his life by supporting him to become a listening volunteer.

His story has been shared nationally by Samaritans to encourage more people to join the team and become volunteers.

Mark said: "Being a Samaritan means an immense amount to me. We're there to listen and be able to give people a place where they can talk about their feelings and emotions, without in fear of being given advice or told what they should do and how they should do it.

"It's about people that are struggling and they can pick that phone up and get a volunteer who's going to give them time, patience, empathy, understanding. That's what we do and I think it's and amazing thing."

Mark has been a Samaritans volunteer since 2017. Before that, he felt worthless. His severe eyesight problems led to alcoholism but he no longer drinks and has been free of alcohol since 2012. Through counselling and the work of the charity Addaction, he learned the value of listening – a skill he has been able to use as a Samaritans volunteer.

"I always look at it like I've got two parts of my life – when I could see to feeling like when I lost my eyesight and not accepting it, and my world crashed and burned," said Mark.

"It took the carpet from under my feet and I landed heavily. Spent probably best part of four years drinking, hating everybody, hating the world. I've come a long way in the last eight years and I think a lot of that has got to do with becoming a Samaritan.

"When I first come here, they had an information evening. I thought I'd go and I thought, we'll see how it goes. But I didn't think that they'd want me. I always felt 'cause once I lost my eyesight, that I was good for nothing. I was worthless.

"And it was like, the interview went really well and they was like, right, what do you need? What can we do for you?

"Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, outside of the family home that I felt wanted, that I felt I could achieve something, that maybe I could do this.

"Everything I've needed has been put in place, whether it's large print, new keyboards, training to use ChromeVox, which is a lady that talks in your ear.

"Samaritans has helped me redefine and rediscover myself. It's also helped me challenge myself, how I am as a person. And I've found that I am a better person because of Samaritans."

To find out more about joining the team of volunteers at Samaritans, visit samaritans.org/volunteer

Mark said: "Do it, because the support for each other as volunteers is phenomenal. And you will be there for someone in that moment when they need you. We are all a small step away from being that person in a dark place. It’s a brilliant thing to be able to walk in and talk to someone who needs that conversation, free of charge and anonymously.”

Listening and helping people are rewarding, says Mark, and he gains a sense of self-worth from being a valuable part of a community. Due to his eyesight, Mark is unable to meet face-to-face callers to the branch in Lennox Road, Worthing, but his fellow volunteers understand this.

Mark said: "The hardest thing is the harrowing calls, what some people are having to deal with, how low they can be. Some calls are hard to shift from your mind. You have to hope that being there for them was enough. It’s not good to dwell on callers' problems though!”

Having been in a dark place himself, Mark feels proud about being there for others and hopes by having someone to listen, they will hopefully find themselves in a better place, too.