A brand-new tartan has been created by Samaritans Scotland to raise awareness of suicide prevention and the charity’s services in Scotland. Named the ‘Samaritartan’, the new tartan was chosen by Samaritans volunteers across Scotland.
A preview of the tartan took place at the Scottish Parliament this week ahead of Burns Night, a time where people all over the world are connected through Scotland’s iconic music, poetry, cuisine, and tartan as they celebrate the National Bard. MSPs from across political parties joined together to support suicide prevention and Samaritans Scotland’s commitment to a world where fewer lives are lost to suicide, including the Minister for Health, Social Care, and Sport, Maree Todd.
As a charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide, the new tartan is a symbol of connection and weaves together the volunteers, branches, communities, and the wider organisation in Scotland.
Samaritans Scotland Head of Policy and Communications, Danielle Rowley, said: “The first Samaritans branch in Scotland opened in 1959, and we’ve been connecting with people ever since. We want the tartan to be a way to connect with the communities we work with, and a way for people to proudly show their support and passion for suicide prevention.
“The symbolism of the lines in the tartan crossing over and the weave of the tartan highlights the importance of connection, and how our lives touch the lives of others.
“Something as simple as saying ‘hello’, or having a coffee with someone can be enough to make a difference. We hope that the Samaritartan, as something bright and visual, will act as a conversation starter and help to address the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health.”
The officially registered Samaritartan was designed in partnership with International Tartans’ Retweed, tartan weavers House of Edgar, and was brought to life through the creation of Samaritartan kilts, ties, and scarves by local business, Kinloch Anderson, close to the charity’s central hub in Leith.
Angela Merola, Marketing Coordinator at Kinloch Anderson, said: “We were delighted to be involved in the creation of this brand-new tartan for Samaritans Scotland. We know how valuable the work of the charity is, with volunteers across the country supporting people in some of their most difficult times.
To help bring this bright and vibrant tartan into the world and connect the groups that help so many people every day was special for us.”
Award-wiining Scottish poet and current Edinburgh Makar, Michael Pedersen, has also written a beautiful and unique poem around the tartan and the meaning of connection.
Speaking about Samaritans Scotland and his involvement with the charity’s new tartan creation, Pederson said: ‘I’m in admirative awe of all the vital, life-altering, and deeply courageous work Samaritans do.
“The people they reach, the lives bolstered, the minds fortified, and the connections nurtured, forged and fostered because of their compassionate and mettlesome presence is, quite frankly, astounding.
“Suffice to say, Scotland, and the world, is a better, less lonely, more sentient place because of them. To have written a poem to champion them and help celebrate the arrival of their stunning new Samaritartan range is a supreme privilege. Long live the Samaritans (and Samaritartan).’
The poem can be heard as part of a new video unveiling the tartan, which will be released on Burns Day this weekend.
The tartan is expected to feature at this year’s Tartan Parade in Edinburgh on the 10th May, and it is hoped that the tartan will soon be available through a variety of merchandise for people to buy.
The preview event was held at the Scottish Parliament on the 22nd January, alongside an event highlighting the latest research undertaken by Samaritans in partnership with Strathclyde University, ‘Paid Yesterday, Broke Today’.
The report highlights the impact of employment and financial insecurity on suicidal thoughts and behaviour. Participants shared their experiences of feeling the pressure of insufficient pay and poverty, of the stigma placed on them when reaching out for financial support, and of the sense of being trapped in debt.
Since the first Samaritans branch in Scotland answered its first call for help in 1959, there are now 19 branches and nearly 1,000 volunteers stretching from the Borders to the Highlands & Islands.
Volunteers are available every day and night through the helpline, with the charity also providing community outreach support in Scottish prisons, schools, hospitals, and on the rail network.
Anyone can contact Samaritans for free any time from any phone on 116 123, even on a mobile without credit. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org.
‘Paid Yesterday, Broke Today’ research can be found here.
