Over 150 artists and celebrities are coming together lead by Sarah Graham to make a real difference to people battling mental health issues. Find out how!

What is ‘Samarivans’?

Artist Sarah Graham, who is heading up this amazing project, is very open about the fact that The Samaritans have supported her through some very dark times as she’s battled Bipolar disease. She has now be episode free for 4 years (at time of publishing) and thanks The Samritans for their support of more than one occasion.

She knew she wanted to support they charity by raising money and awareness and eventually came up with the idea…

“I’ve been painting camper van stencils for years…I’ll invite artists and creatives to create their own version, have a pop-up exhibition and auction them online. SAMARIVANS was born! Alongside over 100 artists already, including Tom Hovey (Great British Bake Off) Hayden Kays & Pete McKee.  I also have some very well known names, including Joe Lycett, Keith Lemon, Jodie Whittaker,  Ricky Wilson,  Timmy Mallett, Su Pollard, Eddie the Eagle and West End & Broadway star Kerry Ellis on board!  “ from Sarah Graham’s Samarivans! Blog

There are over 100 artist and celebrities taking part in this incredible project and I am proud to say that I am one of them.

The Shocking Statistics on Suicide and Self Harm

If you are likely to be triggered by these statistics then skip this section and jump to finding out how the Samaritans help.

Below are some difficult numbers to process taken from reports commissioned by the charity. Having read through many pages of their website and two report summaries, these were the statistics that really stuck out for me.

• 5219 suicides were registered in 2021*. This is 307 more than in 2020 (Samaritans.org)

• In 2019, self-harm was discussed in more than 272,000 contacts to Samaritans – that’s once every two minutes and almost 1 in 10 of the times we provided emotional support. (Pushed from pillar to post: Improving the availability and quality of support after self-harm in England, October 2020)

• Men are three to four times more likely to take their own lives than women (Samaritans.org)

Shocking as these numbers are, they is a lot that the Samaritans are doing to help.

Who are Samaritans and How Do They Help?

40% of men said that talking to others helped with concerns and worries they had during the pandemic.

Samaritans believe that listening is a powerful way to help. They work to provide 8 outcomes:

“The eight secondary outcomes are:

• being listened to,

• feeling they have options,

• people understanding them,

• have hope in the future,

• able to cope with everyday life,

• able to make choices,

• feeling calmer

• and feeling less alone/isolated.”

(Helpline Caller Outcomes Study 2020, Samaritans, Executive Summary, October 2020)

This same report indicated that ‘Seven out of ten (71%) respondents indicated that they were feeling better one week after the call to the Helpline.’

As well as supporting people through their difficult times, they run campaigns across the UK to raise awareness of mental health issues such as suiceide and self harm. Their website also offers a multitude of ways to interact with them.

Phone them 116 123

Get the Self Help App https://selfhelp.samaritans.org

Email jo@samaritans.org (it can take a few days to get.a response)

Write a letter to Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS

Or find a branch at https://www.samaritans.org/branches/

What Samarivans Means to Me

Using art to benefit people’s mental wellbeing has always made sense to me. After wanting to be a mum for years, I finally had my daughter. Even though I loved her more than I ever could have thought, there was still a hole - the hole I thought she was going to fill - and now it was getting bigger. Anything that I did for myself before motherhood came along had fallen by the wayside and ‘mum’ was the all consuming (and often overwhelming) part of me.

I went to an open studios at Northern Print in Newcastle and instant felt excited. I got lost in the smells and emotions and knew immediately that I NEEDED my art to help me heal. Lino print became the thing I did for myself when my daughter napped and those wonderful hours made me a better mum because I felt replenished.

I’ve also benefitted from counselling - talking can help so much. Even just vocalising what’s in your head to an impartial party can help you to realise the next steps.

I’m thrilled to be part of this project and raising money and awareness for such an incredible cause.

My Samarivan

Created using a mixture of acrylic underpainting and Lino block print, this one of a kind piece on canvas board combines a few things that are special to me and crucial to my mental health.

Peacocks - the symbol of my art journey and a link to my childhood where I’d visit the peacocks at Walton Hall Gardens in Warrington (my home town). You’ll find peacock feathers all over my home, studio and artwork. They’re a reminder of childhood joy but also a symbol of the confidence I want to embody.

The coast - the sound of the sea, the feel of the sand and lapping water and the joy of finding pebbles and shells as I walk are all things that rejuvenate me and wash away my worries.

St Mary’s Lighthouse, Whitley Bay - For a long time before I lived in Newcastle, I felt a pull away from my original home town. I felt out of place. Then I discovered that my Gramps was from Whitley Bay. The day I finally visited I felt like I was HOME. It was like the biological homing chip had brought me back to where I was meant to be.

The process of creating this piece was a total joy. You can find out more about it on my Instagram Page.

Where Can I View The Artworks?

Arkley Fine Art (16-17 Hermitage Rd, Hitchin SG5 1BT) are displaying all the vans at an exhibition which will run from the 22-29 Sept ‘23.  All works will then be auctioned online.

Or view the Online Gallery here