Worthing Samaritans faces closure alongside six other branches across the UK under a national restructuring plan announced by charity leadership.
The Lennox Road branch in Worthing, which has operated as a local fixture for 57 years, is scheduled to shut down on November 30 alongside its supporting shop in Strand Parade, according to local reporting by SussexWorld.
National managers informed local volunteers of the closure during an online meeting in October, triggering intense local pushback. Worthing is one of seven branches earmarked for closure nationwide, alongside Grimsby, Orkney, Caithness, Shetland, Scunthorpe, and Stornoway.
Volunteers and local leaders have mobilized quickly against the decision. A petition titled Stop the Closure has gathered more than 7,000 signatures, while all 37 local borough councillors and local MP Beccy Cooper have thrown their weight behind the campaign, urging charity leadership to halt the closure and engage in meaningful consultation.
Did You Know? Seven years ago, Worthing Samaritans volunteers Mark and Carol successfully talked a distressed man down from scaffolding and guided him step-by-step to their branch, where a cup of tea was waiting for him.
Samaritans chief executive Julie Bentley defended the closures during internal discussions, stating that the charity is operating on a “burning platform” due to rising costs, flatlining donations, and soaring demand for mental health services. According to details reported by The Guardian, the charity answered over 3 million calls for help in 2025, yet some callers still failed to get through, particularly during overnight hours.
The overarching strategy aims to transition the 73-year-old emotional distress and suicide prevention charity toward fewer, larger branches concentrated in major towns and cities. Leadership asserts that strategic locations are dictated entirely by data regarding volunteer pools rather than branch performance, meaning even thriving, solvent locations like Worthing are slated for the axe.
“I really advise you not to think about it through the lens of saving branches, because strategic location is out of your control,” Julie Bentley said.
While leadership focuses on data-driven efficiency to maximize call coverage across the UK, long-serving volunteers view localized presence and community roots as the indispensable core of emotional support work.
Beyond outright closures, the restructuring plan involves consolidating operations in other regions. In Scotland, the Inverness and Elgin branches are set to merge into a new location, while branches in Thurso, Shetland, Stornoway, and Orkney face total closure. Scotland executive director Neil Mathers stated that the consolidation is designed to strengthen volunteer capacity and reduce waiting times for callers.
Regional politicians have voiced strong opposition to these centralized measures. Moray MSP Laura Mitchell and Na h-Eileanan an Iar MSP Donald MacKinnon both warned that reducing operations across the Highlands and Islands risks removing vital lifelines for vulnerable constituents when local health services are already strained.
According to SussexWorld, the Lennox Road branch and its supporting shop in Strand Parade are due to close on November 30.
No. Chief executive Julie Bentley confirmed in a letter to local officials that the Board of Trustees made the decision after extensive review through the Future Proofing programme, and it will not be revisited.
As reported by The Guardian, the charity answered over 3 million calls for help in 2025.
How will volunteers and local communities continue to press for changes as the closure date approaches?
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