Maytree Respite Centre provide people in the midst of a suicidal crisis with the opportunity for rest and reflection, and give them the opportunity to stay in a calm, safe and relaxed environment. They can support four “guests” at a time. The service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The warm and friendly volunteers and staff spend up to 77 hours with each guest over their stay, giving them the opportunity to talk through their fears, thoughts and troubles. On leaving, each guest receives a goodbye letter. This is a personal record written by a member of Maytree’s staff team which reflects their stay, validates their struggles and honours their achievements.

George Nelson, Fundraising Manager for Maytree commented “Philanthropy is almost taken for granted these days and some are even cynical about the principle. I speak for all at Maytree when I say that we will always be grateful for these gestures of support, for without them we simply wouldn’t be able to achieve our primary objective: preventing suicide. Thank you, London Freemasons.”