Samaritans set to visit King's Cross to encourage small talk as part of campaign
Barbers, hairdressers and nail technicians will also be there.
The Samaritans will be at a famous London train station this afternoon, as they launch a campaign aiming to encourage conversation...
They will be at King's Cross where people will be able to have a quick treatment... and dialogue... with small talk specialists including barbers, hairdressers and nail technicians.
The Small Talk Saves Lives campaign is telling people that a simple chat can help stop someone's dark thoughts.
"Would you like a cup of tea?"
New findings by Samaritans reveal nearly half (49%) of us actively avoid engaging with someone we don’t know due to the fear of having to make ‘small talk’.
The figures show that more than a fifth (22%) of Britons are too worried about saying the wrong thing while a third (34%) claim they don’t know what to say to initiate a conversation.
But the Samaritans says small talk can save lives and its campaign encourages people to trust their instincts and start a simple conversation if they think someone might need help.
The campaign is being delivered in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police, and the wider rail industry.
Olivia Cayley, who is Head of the Rail Programme at Samaritans, said "We're social creatures. Humans want to be cared about. We want to be valued.
"It's such a small thing and an easy thing that you can do to show someone that you care."
Olivia also explained what you should do if you think someone is struggling.
"My advice is to trust that gut instinct. It's a fantastic, priceless piece of equipment that we all have as humans. That intuition that kicks in and trust it. Truut that moment. Approach someone.
"The worst that can happen is you#'ev had an interaction with a stranger. The best thing that could happen is potentially you have taken someone away from some really dark thoughts and showed them that someone cares."