Southeastern is proud to partner with Samaritans to support their Small Talk Saves Lives campaign, bringing a series of in‑station events to communities across the railway this month.
There were 2,284 lifesaving interventions on the railway in 2024-25, many of them begun by a member of staff or the public taking the initiative to speak to a person in distress. Despite this, research commissioned by Samaritans shows that 52% of respondents believe small talk is a thing of the past, and 78% admit to avoiding it, even though most people say they would appreciate a few kind words if they were visibly upset.
From 13 to 27 March, Samaritans volunteers will be available at key Southeastern stations to talk with customers and colleagues about how a brief, kind conversation can help someone who may be struggling.
Dave Brown, Head of Rail at Samaritans, said:
“We know that people are often worried about saying the wrong thing to someone who is visibly upset, but it’s always better to say something than nothing at all. A brief chat, about the weather, or asking someone where they can grab a coffee, can be all it takes to interrupt those negative thoughts. Your words are a life-saving kit.”
Mark Sutton, Safeguarding Manager at Southeastern, added
“We’re really proud to partner with Samaritans on this important campaign and to host these Small Talk Saves Lives events across our network.
“Our colleagues encounter vulnerable people more often than most, but we also see kind and selfless acts from many passengers every day. We want to empower everyone to take action and to keep our railway safe.”
Samaritans, Network Rail and British Transport Police relaunched the campaign last week with ‘Ticket to Talk’, a striking installation at London Waterloo station featuring 2,284 tickets with small talk phrases on them representing the amount of potentially life-saving interactions had on the railway last year.
From Wednesday, events will be held at the following stations:
Southeastern-hosted Small Talk Saves Lives events
Samaritans volunteers will be present at the following Southeastern stations:
- Canterbury East – Wed 11 March, 08:00–10:00
- Rainham (Kent) – Fri 13 March, 08:00–10:30
- Bromley South – Mon 16 March, 16:30–19:00
- Orpington – Mon 16 March, 16:30–19:00
- Tonbridge – Mon 16 March, 06:30–08:30
- Maidstone East – Wed 18 March, 16:00–18:30
- Lewisham – Fri 20 March, 08:00–11:00
- Ashford International – Fri 20 March, 07:30–11:30
- Battle – Mon 23 March, 09:00–11:00
- Hastings – Tue 24 March, 09:00–11:00
- Folkestone – Tue 24 March, 07:30–11:30
- High Brooms – Tue 24 March, 06:30–08:30
- Hastings – Wed 25 March, 09:00–11:00
- Dover Priory – Thu 26 March, 07:30–11:30
- Catford Bridge – Fri 27 March, 08:00–11:00
For more information, visit Samaritans.org/smalltalksaveslives or join the conversation using #SmallTalkSavesLives
