Regional director honoured for work with Samaritans

The regional director of the Samaritans in Ireland has been named the Cork Person of the Month for October.

Pio Fenton, from Glenville in Co Cork, was honoured for his voluntary work with the Samaritans over the past eight years.

After three years of volunteering with the organisation which provides 24-hour emotional support to anyone in distress or with suicidal thoughts, Mr Fenton was appointed deputy director of the Samaritans Cork branch in 2007 where he was responsible for training new volunteers.

He took over as branch director in 2010 and was spending over 30 hours a week volunteering with the organisation.

He was recently appointed regional director of Samaritans Ireland, responsible for overseeing the organisation’s 20 branches on the island of Ireland.

“Highlights of Pio’s leadership include achieving a 24-hour service, seven days a week by his volunteer teams at the Cork office,” said his nominator, Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer.

Mr Fenton, who lives in Blackrock, Cork, and lectures in the Waterford Institute of Technology’s school of business, said he hopes his monthly award will further promote the work of the Samaritans, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in Cork this year.

“The Samaritans take 500,000 calls a year across Ireland, and the past year has been the busiest in the history of the organisation,” he said.

“We now have 2,000 volunteers in Ireland and, in Cork, we have 200 active volunteers of all ages.

“When someone calls, they give no advice and no judgment; just a listening and sympathetic ear.”

His name now goes forward with the other monthly winners for inclusion in the overall Cork Person of the Year award.

The winner will be announced at a gala awards lunch on Jan 18, with President Michael D Higgins as the guest of honour.

* Contact the Samaritans on 1850 609090 or you can volunteer to take part in their training courses at 7/8 Coach St, Cork.