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Shoreditch: Mural encourages people to reach out for help

Global Street Art An artist works on the muralGlobal Street Art
The mural in Shoreditch will be on show into the new year

A mural encouraging people to reach out for help over the festive period if they are struggling has been unveiled in east London.

The piece, which encourages people to contact the Samaritans, is on Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch.

The design includes flowers and a poem about how people can need help to grow and flourish and was created by Global Street Art and supported by The Stage.

Lee Bofkin, co-founder of the street art agency, said the project had a huge personal meaning for him.

Lee Bofkin in front of the mural
Lee Bofkin said he hoped people would reach for help before they hit a "crisis point"

"My mum has been a Samaritan for almost 25 years.

"If we can help raise awareness of the really good work they do and encourage people to reach out before they hit a crisis point, that's more than enough for us."

Jessica, a listening volunteer at Samaritans, said: "There's a lot of people that don't know we're there to be spoken to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It's a marvellous service."

Global Street Art The completed muralsGlobal Street Art
The murals feature plants and a poem

Annabel Davis, of Samaritans, said Christmas could be a "particularly tough time" for a lot of people.

"We know messages of hope can be life-changing, so this mural - along with its prominent position - will reach a huge number of people and encourage those currently struggling to reach out where they might otherwise have suffered in silence," she said.

Over the Christmas period last year, Samaritans responded to more than 250,000 calls for help.

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