Chad Varah
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Edward Chad Varah, CH, CBE (born November 12, 1911) is a British priest known as the founder of The Samaritans (now known just as "Samaritans") in 1953, the world's first crisis hotline organisation, offering non-religious telephone counselling to those contemplating suicide.
His father was a priest in the village of Barton-on-Humber and he was educated at Worksop College in North Nottinghamshire and Keble College, Oxford University, and ordained as an Anglican clergyman in 1936.
Varah was closely associated with the founding of the comic The Eagle in 1950, working as a scriptwriter for it and sister publication Girl, as well as "Scientific and Astronautical Consultant" (as Varah put it) to Dan Dare.
Varah became rector of the church of St Stephen Walbrook in the City of London, serving from 1953 until 2003, when he retired at the age of 92. In 1994 he officiated at the marriage of Lady Sarah Chatto, only daughter of Princess Margaret to the actor, Mr Daniel Chatto.
He was created a Companion of Honour in 2000.
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