TWO new initiatives have been announced by Hereford Samaritans to help cover the ever-increasing costs of running the centre.

The charity is looking to new technology to help raise funds with the setting up of an auction site, which will be used to auction off donated items.

And people who are sympathetic to the Samaritans' work are being urged to make a bequest in their will - to help reduce potential inheritance tax liability due to the growth in the property market.

The new initiatives were announced by the new chairman for the Herefordshire Friends of the Samaritans, Charles Gething Lewis, at the 32nd AGM, at which the annual report was delivered.

He said a major ongoing concern was the number of young people in Herefordshire suffering from depression -the county currently experiences one of the highest suicide rates of young men in the country.

The meeting also heard the charity had another busy year, with more than 13,000 contacts, an increase on 2004.

There had been a noticeable increase in the number of people choosing to make contact by email.

Receiving her copy of the annual report, the Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes, added it was evident that the Samaritans saved Social Services and the Primary Care Trust significant sums through the preventative measures they provided.

She said she was anxious the charity's efforts were matched by funding towards its running costs from these bodies.

The Samaritans can be contacted by phone on 01432 269000 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.

To help achieve their ambitious goals the Samaritans are also in urgent need of more helpers.

Anyone who feels they could help in any way can call 01432 269000.

4 Herefordshire Friends of the Samaritans chairman Charles Gething Lewis with Hereford Mayor Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes. Picture by David Harling.