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		Leics Samaritans doing ‘wonderful job’ Wednesday, 16th May 2007 Leicestershire – Roger Helmer, Conservative MEP for Leicester today praised the ‘wonderful job’ Leicester’s branch of the Samaritans are doing on behalf of the people of Leicestershire on a recent visit to the city’s local branch in Elmfield Avenue, Leicester. Mr Helmer, who described it as a ‘privilege’ to be invited to visit the centre, met with publicity officer and volunteer Lawrence Warnock for a tour around the premises to see firsthand the work carried out there, before joining a host of volunteers for coffee and a chat about their involvement with the organisation. The building in Elmfield Avenue, which is open 24 hours a day, has been manned non-stop for over forty years and receives over five million contacts from people in crisis every year. As well as being contactable by phone, the centre currently receives on average more than 800 emails per week and often some drop-in callers. Everything a caller says is kept strictly confidential and callers are not traced calls or identified. Speaking after the visit, Mr Helmer said: "I was delighted to be able to see at first hand the wonderful work which the Samaritans are doing in Leicestershire. Their staff and volunteers, who work round the clock, deserve the highest praise. It was a privilege to spend some time with them".