The Samaritans organisation in Cork has appealed to dairies all over the State to follow the example of Dairygold and use milk cartons to deliver the Samaritans' message to the public.
Yesterday in Cork the organisation announced that Dairygold-CMP had agreed to use the Samaritans' message on one million milk cartons distributed daily in the Munster area. The message contains the Samaritans' number, 1 850 609 090, and asks people in difficulties to get in touch with the helpline.
"In a crisis, helpless, anxious, lonely, angry, sad, hurt, fear, despair, memories or all normal feelings or emotions - it does help to talk - please phone, visit or e-mail Jo at Samaritans.org," the message says.
Ms Anne Twohig, of the Samaritans in Cork, said Dairygold had already participated in anti-drugs and anti-litter publicity using its milk cartons. She said that following a meeting with Mr Peter Madden, the company's marketing manager, and Mr Barry Hill, its sales manager, Dairygold had agreed immediately to participate in the campaign.
Callers who ring the Samaritans' phone numbers will do so for the price of a local call and Dairygold has agreed to offer its service to the organisation free.
Ms Twohig said: "This is a great help to us in our effort to reach out to people, and we are delighted with Dairygold's response, but I would love to think that other organisations like Dairygold throughout Ireland would become involved in a similar way. My hope is that it will help people who are disturbed in any way to get in touch with us."
Ms Twohig said the Samaritans were always looking for volunteers and were always in need of extra help. In Cork, there were 120 volunteers, and 2,500 throughout Ireland.
"We always can do with greater assistance. What we do is on a voluntary basis and we depend on the goodwill of people to come on board."