It’s good to talk – that’s the message coming from the new Suicide Prevention campaign from the Samaritans, and one that Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, is pleased to support.
The ‘Small Talk Saves Lives’ campaign – bringing together the Samaritans, Network Rail, the British Transport Police and the railway industry – is geared towards getting rail passengers to spot warning signs and fellow commuters who might need help, and to engage in small talk with them with the hope of interrupting suicidal thoughts. It draws on insights from successful interventions by rail and BTP staff trained in suicide prevention.
Six lives are saved for each life lost on the railways. The hope is that by appealing to members of the public, the number of life-saving interventions will increase further. Further research showed the majority are willing to act, but many wanted guidance on how to help, and reassurance they wouldn’t ‘make things worse’. This campaign is about giving more people the confidence to act.
Alex said:
The Small Talk Saves Lives campaign is one I’m pleased to support. Too many lives are tragically and needlessly lost through suicide, and if we can save one life simply by engaging someone in conversation – no matter what that conversation is – then we should all make the effort to talk to our fellow rail passengers
For more information on the campaign, follow the link: https://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/our-campaigns/small-talk-saves-lives
