SUE Cunningham is talking about the pits.
The current branch director at Belfast Samaritans describes how its volunteers work.
Basically: "We don't just pull people out of the pits they are in. We get in there with them."
After six decades in operation in Belfast, Samaritans are as much in demand as at any point during that time.
"We know from the number of calls we continue to receive that 60 years on from when the branch first opened its doors, there is still a growing need for our 24 hour service," she said.
And though their phone lines and other services are busy all year round, Sue is aware that coming into the winter is a vulnerable time for people.
"Many people do find Christmas and this time of year more difficult especially if they are already struggling with existing problems," she said.
"I think everyone would agree that the pandemic has been challenging in many different ways and this has impacted on people's mental health - some that may never have considered using our service before have reached out to us for the first time."
Samaritans are not known for celebrating but a gala dinner this month will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Belfast branch which was the first on the island of Ireland.
Now there are eight branches in the north - the seven others are Ballymena, Bangor, Craigavon, Coleraine, Derry, Newry and Omagh - and 13 in the Republic.
Before Covid, the 24/7 service of the Belfast branch had been forced to shut only once, during the height of the Troubles in the early 1970s when there was a bomb threat near its offices, then on Stranmillis Road.
Even at that, soldiers had faced reluctance from some volunteers to leave their phones.
But the current Covid crisis, now coming up to a full two years in length, has proved "extremely challenging", Sue said.
"Despite the lockdowns, we were given permission to travel into the branch to continue offering our service, at a time when many support services were not accessible to those in need," she said.
"Our volunteers give so generously of their time. When attending an overnight shift, crawling out of their beds in the early hours of the morning, whatever the weather, to travel into the branch in order to be there for those that are struggling to get through the night."
The piloting of an online chat service has begun and is going well, "the aim," Sue said, "being to encourage those who may not feel comfortable speaking on the telephone, but would prefer to have a more instant conversation than our email service offers. So far this has been very well received.
"It is proving particularly popular with younger folk, who are sometimes difficult to reach."
It is almost a decade since Mrs Cunningham trained as a listening volunteer, and after a few years was put in charge of volunteer recruitment, which is currently a major issue.
"One of the main priorities at the moment is increasing the number of listening volunteers. There is always a natural fluctuation with volunteer numbers - some leave and others join - but when Covid first hit, forcing face-to-face recruitment and training to come to a halt, this caused a gap in new volunteers joining the branch," Sue admitted.
"The pandemic forced a significant number of listening volunteers to step back from duties, to close our doors to face-to-face callers and cease most of our outreach activities. This has put pressure on our branch and similarly the whole organisation.
"However, enquiries from potential volunteers increased, and progressing those enquiries was reliant on Samaritans' recruitment and training programmes being adapted to be delivered virtually, which took a little time.
"We have great recruitment and training teams who are also volunteers who have adapted remarkably and are working hard to catch-up, and it's great to see new enthusiastic faces already appearing in the branch."
Back in 1961 it was a North Down woman, Lorna Connor, sitting in her living room watching a programme about Samaritans founder Chad Varah, who first had the idea of a branch in Northern Ireland. The programme was called Share the Load.
Progression of the project fell into the hands of the four main Churches - Presbyterian Dr William Thomson, Catholic priest Fr Hugh Murphy, Rev Jim Musgrave of the Church of Ireland and Methodist Rev Sydney Callaghan.
Thomson and Callaghan went on to become directors themselves, and Thomson also succeeded Varah as national chairman for two years.
Sue is aware of the long line of directors before her and that, six decades on, it remains a voluntary job which does not get much easier. She still does her share of shifts, including overnights, and this is where those 'pits' come in.
"In basic terms: Imagine someone who is having a hard time and is feeling depressed or anxious, as if they are sitting at the bottom of a pit," she explains.
"Rather than simply trying to help them out of the pit, Samaritans get down into the pit and sit alongside them to explore with them what that feels like.
"So in other words we're not there to fix our callers, but to be alongside them as they find their own way."
Callers contact Samaritans for myriad reasons, including mental health, family, relationships, financial, abuse, addiction.
"The list could go on and on, and sometimes, but not always, these things lead them to a very dark place where they feel that life just isn't worth living," said Sue.
"We are there to hand-hold when maybe no-one else is, to help get them through another day. Of course, things have changed and progressed over the years to keep up with demand and move with the times.
"Technology obviously plays a big part in how we operate today (much to the irritation of some...). No longer just a single phone on a desk, we're now linked through a computer with calls being diverted to the first available volunteer, enabling a reduction in call wait times."
But currently and for the last few years you might not contact the Samaritans, they could come to you.
"An important part of our current service is outreach with the team fulfilling an active role in the local community; educating, and raising awareness, so that people know who we are and what we do - and how to contact us should they need us," explained Sue.
"We give talks to businesses, clubs and organisations and also work to pass on skills to others, who can make a difference simply by starting up a conversation with someone who seems to be a bit low.
"The Outreach Team also visit schools and colleges to give presentations to students, with the aim of providing young people with an understanding of emotional health, and the importance of talking when things don't feel quite right.
"Our Prison Team is another strand of outreach. In one location the team train selected prisoners to become Listeners, so that they can offer peer support to fellow prisoners and help reduce the amount of self-inflicted deaths and self-harm amongst offenders.
"In another prison, our volunteers 'walk the landings', introducing themselves and offering emotional support if needed. Awareness training is also provided to new prison officers, giving a better understanding of Samaritans' values and the boundaries within which our trained listeners operate."
Nationally, also, it is a time of looming change for the organisation. "The next Samaritans Strategy is currently being developed and due to begin in April 2022. There has been input from volunteers and staff across the nations, supporters, funders and partner organisations with whom there is a close relationship," said Sue.
"A Lived Experience Advisory Group has also been set up, engaging with those who have lived experience of suicidal thoughts or attempts, self-harm, bereavement by suicide and/or using Samaritans services. Feedback from these voices is important to help shape the future of our service," she said.
But talking about the time ahead, Sue added: "My hope for the future is that Samaritans can continue to offer the best possible service to anyone who needs someone."
Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
The charity's Christmas Star fundraising campaign aims to "help someone find light in their darkest times". More at samaritans.org.
