Ruby Wax, Hussain Manawer, Sir Paul McCartney, David Walliams and thousands of volunteers support Samaritans’ 24-hour campaign

Ruby Wax, Hussain Manawer, Sir Paul McCartney and David Walliams are some of the high profile figures supporting The Big Listen, a 24-hour campaign by the Samaritans to raise funds for the free service as well as promoting the importance of listening.

Ruby Wax OBE, broadcaster and mental health campaigner said: "I just love the idea of The Big Listen helping to raise funds to keep Samaritans’ services free, every single day of the year. And, at the same time, we can all be better listeners and support our loved ones, colleagues, friends and family. We need to open our ears and give people the space to talk. Really listening to someone who is finding things tough can save a life."

The stars of the Samaritans - the listeners, staff and volunteers - are followed in a new film Every Hour, Every Day, produced especially for the campaign. They share their thoughts and daily activities, reinforcing the importance of the service the charity offers and the impact it has.

It is hoped that The Big Listen campaign will raise crucial funds for Samaritans' work.

Samaritans respond to over five million calls for help a year and train 20,000 volunteers who work on phone lines and branches of Samaritans across the UK. The service is free to use but relies heavily upon the support of public donations.

You can follow #TheBigListen @samaritans on Twitter, @samaritanscharity on Instagram, or via Samaritans’ Facebook page.

Anyone can contact Samaritans any time for free from any phone on 116 123. This number will not show up on your phone bill.