Three UK raises £1 million for charity partner Samaritans

23 January 2026: Three UK has raised an incredible £1 million for its charity partner, Samaritans, fulfilling a pledge made when the two organisations first started working together in April 2021.

The initial three-year partnership between Three and Samaritans centred around the aim to help Samaritans reach millions of people, whether directly through services or by raising awareness of the power of human connection.

Since then, Three’s network, technology, retail stores and expertise have helped expand the support that Samaritans has long provided to people across the UK 24/7, 365 days a year.

November 2024 saw an extension of this partnership to April 2026, underlining Three’s ongoing commitment to mental health and wellbeing.

How have Three UK and Samaritans worked together?

Over the years, Three and Samaritans have collaborated on several meaningful and award-winning campaigns – all with the aim of encouraging those who are struggling to speak up and seek help.

Among the first campaigns was BetterPhoneFriend, created alongside Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter. The campaign championed the power of listening, encouraging customers, colleagues and the wider UK public to build stronger connections by learning how to be a Better Phone Friend.

#TalkMoreThanFootball

With Brits more than twice as likely to talk about football (55%) than their mental wellbeing (24%), Three UK leaned on its sponsorship of Chelsea F.C. in April 2023 to help raise awareness of the support that charity partner Samaritans offers.

Chelsea legends Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Eiður Guðjohnsen and Gary Cahill took to the pitch during half-time of the team’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., with the Samaritans helpline number – 116 123 – clearly laid out on the back of their shirts.

A year later, the mantle was taken up by another former Chelsea player. This time, Hollywood actor, Vinnie Jones, was enlisted to deliver a poignant team talk as part of a campaign video that premiered during a game against Manchester United. The initiative gained national and international attention and won numerous industry awards.

More recently, former England frontman Peter Crouch also joined the ranks, helping to launch a fleet of bespoke mental health taxis driven by selected cabbies with specialist training from Samaritans.

The free ‘chat-powered’ taxi service came off the back of research revealing that two thirds (64%) of football fans struggle with their mental health, with almost half (42%) turning to taxi drivers for support.

Dawn Walk

Ahead of World Mental Health Day in 2024, Three backed Samaritans’ Dawn Walk – a 5km challenge that took place between 10-13 October.

With research showing that Brits are more likely to open up while on a walk, and as the official sponsor of the event, Three encouraged both customers and colleagues to join, in solidarity with anyone who might be struggling.

The event raised over £125,000, courtesy of 7,000+ donations, with more than 1,500 registered walkers taking part during the three-day period.

Brew Monday

Research in January 2025, meanwhile, suggested that the workplace tea break was under threat, with nearly half (43%) of workers hardly ever sharing a brew with their colleagues. In turn, missing out on the traditional opportunity to connect.

To help close the ‘tea gap’ in offices up and down the nation, Three teamed up with Samaritans once again to bring back the Great British tea break.

Using the charity’s annual Brew Monday initiative, the two organisations encouraged everyone to ‘Take Three’ and check in with a friend or a colleague.

The campaign returned in 2026, as Three highlighted how many British workers rarely step away from their desks, yet tea or coffee breaks often spark the most meaningful conversations.

Launching ‘Tea Leave’ to mark Brew Monday, the initiative encourages a no-questions-asked 30-minute wellbeing break to: take a breather; get some fresh air; and reconnect with colleagues, friends or loved ones.

Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, VodafoneThree, said: “Reaching the £1 million fundraising total is a tremendous achievement for everyone involved with this partnership.

“The impact made by Three UK and Samaritans working together goes far beyond simple facts and figures.

“By ensuring people open up about their mental health struggles, this partnership has no doubt saved countless lives – and that’s something we’re all extremely proud of here at VodafoneThree.”

How have Three UK staff helped support the partnership with Samaritans?

Beyond these successful campaigns, Three colleagues have supported the cause themselves, raising over £36,500 during Christmas alone over the past four years, as part of a December prize draw.

This sits alongside smaller organised donations, such as bake sales at Three UK HQ and walking challenges, as well as larger, organised team events.

Most notably, the Tech C&G team raised over £6,000 while virtually cycling, rowing and running from Glasgow to Paris, via Dublin and Reading, in 24 hours, epitomising the staff-led passion that has defined the partnership since its inception.

Sonya Trivedy, Executive Director of External Engagement, Samaritans, said: “We are blown away by the life-changing amount of money Three UK has raised for Samaritans.

“Over the past five years, Three UK staff have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to helping us reach anyone who is struggling, encourage them to open up, and make sure they know they don’t have to face their challenges alone.

“By co-creating innovative campaigns that target people at higher risk of suicide, and supporting our digital transformation project so we can answer more calls for help in different ways, our partnership has achieved great things. And I just want to say a huge thank you to all our wonderful Three colleagues for all your support.”

What impact has the partnership between Three and Samaritans had?

It is estimated that around 135 people are affected by every life lost to suicide. As a result, every volunteer trained by Samaritans, every call answered, and every life saved has an impact far beyond a single individual.

By supporting Samaritans, Three has helped the charity reach millions of people, with the incredible total of £1 million raised through the partnership equivalent to funding 100,000 calls for help, providing emotional support to people in their darkest moments.

Three’s support has also helped Samaritans make critical technology changes that will help their sustainability and be there for more people in the future.

This includes investing in a vital digital transformation programme, enabling the online chat service and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, which makes it easier for people to connect in the way that best suits them.

Meanwhile, funding of Samaritans Training School has helped grow, develop and sustain the volunteer network that is so vital to the charity’s work.

To find out more about the partnership between Three UK and Samaritans, visit the Three website.