Phone Free Friday is Samaritans’ brand new fundraising campaign taking place on 20 June 2014. The idea is simple but challenging. We want supporters in companies from all over the country to turn off their phones from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon and make a small donation. 

This might seem easy, but research has shown we are living in a world where people are obsessed with their mobile – a massive 84 per cent said they couldn’t go a day without their phone! We are challenging companies and our supporters to turn off their mobiles for a single day because for us to go one minute without our phones could be a matter of life and death. Phone Free Friday aims to get everyone involved, no matter how often they use their mobiles. During the run up to the day, we have exciting activities to get as many companies as possible involved in the event. We are giving away some great prizes to lucky competition winners, as well as getting celebrities involved in supporting the Phone Free Friday initiative. We have also set up a fun quiz and hilarious celebrity impressionist videos of everyone’s favourite stars telling awkward and embarrassing phone stories.

Companies will receive a ‘tool kit’ which includes posters, games, email templates and fundraising details. Phone Free Friday is supported by healthcare provider Simplyhealth. Mark Hamson at Simplyhealth said:“We are really pleased to be teaming up with Samaritans on their new fundraising day. Nowadays, we rely on our phones for pretty much everything and Phone Free Friday is a great way to go back to basics, while raising funds for a great cause. Simplyhealth employees up and down the country will be getting involved and we challenge everyone else to do the same. ”

For the past 60 years, Samaritans has been there for anyone who needs someone to talk to, round-the-clock, every single day of the year. We receive a call every six seconds from someone struggling to cope, who may have nowhere else to turn. Samaritans relies on the public’s kind donations to deliver our lifesaving service. It costs the charity £4 to answer each call, which is why we’re asking for the same amount, from each person, as a small donation to take part in the day. We understand that completely giving up your phone for the day might prove impossible in today’s modern work world. So, we suggest having a penalty donation jar that people donate money into each time they use their phone. By challenging people to switch off their mobiles, we hope Phone Free Friday will allow our volunteers to answer more lifesaving calls. Sign up today to get involved:
www.phonefreefriday.org.