This month, Falkirk & Central Scotland Samaritans wants to help people to become better listeners, and the branch will be raising awareness of this as they celebrate the Kelpies turning green on Sunday, July 24.

Talk to Us, Samaritans annual month-long awareness raising campaign, is on a mission to improve the UK listening skills to help us all stay connected.

Samaritans volunteers will be highlighting the support they provide for the community, which centres on good listening skills.

Every six seconds, someone in the UK and Ireland contacts Samaritans, and every 90 minutes in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, someone takes their own life.

Samaritans believes that listening is crucial to helping people find their way through their problems, and the charity would like to encourage people to seek help early, rather than when they reach a crisis.

Samaritans Listening Tips or S-H-U-S-H!:

* Show you care: focus just on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone

* Have patience: it may take time and several attempts before a person is ready to open up

* Use open questions: that need more than a yes/no answer

* Say it back: to check you’ve understood, but don’t interrupt or offer a solution

* Have courage: don’t be put off by a negative response and, most importantly, don’t be afraid to leave silence

Vikki Wilson, vice chair of Falkirk & Central Scotland Samaritans said: "We listen. That’s what we’re here to do and sometimes it can be challenging. But you don’t have to be a Samaritan to get better at listening to family, friends and colleagues.

"We’re a culture of people who love to give advice, love to give opinions and quite frankly love the sound of our own voices. But this year we’re asking people to SHUSH! and listen better. 60 years of Samaritans expertise has taught us that just listening is the greatest gift you can give to somebody.”