A family tragedy inspired Miranda Betts to raise money for the Samaritans in a bid to help others.

The sudden and unexpected death of her youngest brother in May 2021 was the catalyst, as Miranda explained.

“This ultimately spurred me on to find ways of managing and processing my grief, shock, and loss, and this led me to looking into local community volunteering opportunities.”

Her search led her to Samaritans Ceredigion, based in Harbour House at the Marina. After raising money for the organisation, Miranda decided to get even more involved.

“I went on to join Samaritans more formally in September this year,” Miranda recalls, “and officially began my induction, orientation, and the full, helpline listening volunteer training, alongside three other volunteers in October.

“Now, I am half way through my training, which I will complete in early April, 2023.”

No stranger to helping others, Miranda is enjoying working for the Samaritans, and her skills have been recognised by the organisation.

“With my particular community-based, arts and mental health work, and fairly diverse skillset - including the community connections I have cultivated and grown working within the local, Ceredigion community in many varied roles over the past 20 years - it became clear to both myself, my mentor, and branch director, Graham Rees, that I would be best placed in my new role, as community development officer, and I am now the Aberystwyth branch educational outreach volunteer.”

As part of that work, Miranda has been focussing on the Samaritans Xmas Livestream, hosting a series of 30-minute, bite-sized, informal, online events. Some events could also be accessed live and in-person too, as many venues for the livestream schedule were also performance spaces.

Venues that hosted the stream included Jubilee Hall, Llangeitho.

“This is also, conveniently for me, my ‘home’ space, and the ‘hub’, for my Community Qigong Sessions on Mondays from 11am to 12pm, and performance venue, for mini MaDCaff events,” Miranda explained.

“These are live arts, originally funded, from 2016, by Time to Change Wales, the national charity that hopes to stamp out stigma, and discrimination, around issues of mental health.

“Mini MadCaffs are free, disabled accessible and open to all. Croeso i bawb!

“These drop-in, open-mic, pop-up cafe events are open to all, but with an emphasis on providing, as a priority, safe, pressure-free, inclusive and accessible, specifically to members of our community who also face and struggle with their mental health, even more so now, as we face the cost-of-living crisis, together.

“MaDCaff is a drop-in, open-mic, project and usually takes place on the first Saturday of the month, between 4.30pm and 7pm, in Llangeitho.”

With her fundraising hat on again, Miranda spent December live streaming events in support of the Samaritans.

The sessions saw Miranda host 30 to 40-minute music-filled chats, with people watching at home able to donate money to the good cause.

Every 10 seconds, Samaritans answer a call for help from someone struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure. If you need help, call 116 123. If you prefer, you can also email [email protected]

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