Maytree is a registered charity supporting people in suicidal crisis in a non-medical setting. Our mission is to alleviate suffering and help people in suicidal crisis to re-engage with life and to restore hope. The Maytree Suicide Respite Centre is the only place of its kind in the UK. It fills a gap in services, between the medical support of the NHS and the helplines and drop-in centres of the voluntary sector. We offer a free 4-night/5-day stay, and the opportunity to be befriended and heard in complete confidence, without judgement and with compassion and warmth.
Following a telephone call or email, you will be offered an initial assessment and from there may be offered the chance to stay. You can telephone or email us about yourself or someone you would like to refer or put in touch with us. Maytree is open for calls and emails 24 hours a day and we will welcome you telling us about the crisis you are experiencing and your thoughts and feelings, which will allow us to begin to get to know you. If you are feeling desperately alone, this itself may be a relief and a help. It is also an opportunity for us to tell you more about what Maytree can offer and how we work. The next step is to arrange an assessment. The assessment is no more than an informal conversation, but it is a time to explore things more fully with you, to get to know you and your needs, and to form a view about whether a stay might be a help to you. Sadly, we are not the right place for everyone. If we can’t meet your needs for some reason, we’ll do our best to think of someone who can.
The essence of the volunteer's role is welcoming and ‘befriending’ guests who stay at the house, enabling the other person to feel heard and valued. Volunteers also befriend potential guests over the telephone and email. A volunteer's role will also include making sure the house is running smoothly which may include cooking basic meals and other household tasks. To find out more, visit http://www.maytree.org.uk/want-to-help.php