David Ruffley will be launching the new e-mail service at the Samaritans at 46 Well Street, Bury St Edmunds on Friday, 7 February at 12.00 noon. The new service will offer a new means of contact for anyone who wants to get in touch with the Samaritans. The telephone service will, of course, still be available but some members of the public may prefer e-mail as a means of getting in touch if they do not want to speak directly to a counsellor on the telephone. David will meet Director, Colin Nicholson, and other staff at the Samaritans' office.

The e-mail address for the Samaritans is:

David will then go to the West Suffolk Branch of the Alzheimer's Society in the Risbygate Centre, 90 Risbygate Street at 1.00 p.m. to present a £100 cheque to them.

The Alzheimer's Society recently invited David to be the Patron of the West Suffolk Branch. He was delighted to accept, particularly as his late Godfather was disabled by Alzheimer's so David has a first hand knowledge of the severe challenges sufferers face.

The £100 cheque he will be presenting to them represents the charitable donation from Business Planning and Research Ltd for David's participation in their consultation exercise.

David said: 'The Alzheimer's Society and the Samaritans are excellent charities and I am only too pleased to do all I can to support the work they do in my constituency.

"As the new Patron of the West Suffolk Branch of the Alzheimer's Society I intend to play an active role in supporting their work locally. I am only too pleased to present this cheque to them to kick off my appointment as their Patron in a positive way.

"Innovative initiatives such as the Samaritans' new e-mail service deserve to be highlighted and I hope many people will take advantage of the new service they will be able to offer.

"The effect of tax changes on share dividends and the falling stock market is having an impact on charities' finances. Charities deserve our support and I am pleased to add my support to charities in my constituency whenever and however I can.'