- Jake Starkey
Two months into 2026 and we’re already off to a remarkable start. From award recognition and impactful campaigns to frontline training and record-breaking fundraising events – none of it would be possible without our incredible supporters, partners, and volunteers. Thank you.
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New awards and recognition
It’s been a brilliant few months for recognition, and we couldn’t be prouder.
We’re thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Digital Revolution Awards in the Tech for Good category, a national award celebrating organisations using technology for meaningful social impact. The nomination highlights our Stay Alive app, which has now reached nearly one million downloads and continues to provide life-saving support to individuals, families, and professionals across the UK and beyond.
Find out more about the Tech for Good Award.
We’re also incredibly pleased to share that we’ve won the Inclusive Excellence in Co-production Award at the Sussex Co-production Conference, recognising our work developing our Suicide Prevention Lived Experience Advisory Group (SP LEAG). Ensuring people with lived experience shape our work is central to everything we do, and this award affirms the time, care, and commitment invested in making that a reality.
12 Days of Hope
In December 2025, we ran our 12 Days of Hope campaign, shining a light on 12 vulnerable groups at higher risk of suicide, from young people and veterans to carers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those bereaved by suicide.
Our campaign shared real stories of hope and recovery, key statistics, and practical tools across social media, email, and digital advertising, sparking crucial conversations, challenging stigma, and directing people to life-saving resources.
We wanted to thank everyone that got involved, we were touched by the incredible stories of hope and recovery shared with us along the way, a powerful reminder of the resilience of the communities we support.
The campaign may be over, but our commitment to these 12 groups, and the 30+ communities we support, never stops. The resources, guidance, and signposting are still there, ready for anyone who needs them.
Brighton Half Marathon 2026
The Brighton Half Marathon took place on 1st March. As a proud Pier Partner, we set an ambitious target, and surpassed it, with close to 300 incredible runners signing up to raise funds for suicide prevention. It was our biggest event yet.
It was inspiring to see our community come together on race day, with runners, volunteers and supporters united by one shared cause: preventing suicide and saving lives. Every mile run and every pound raised helps us continue delivering life-saving training, campaigning and support.
One of our runners shared why they chose to take part:
“I ran the Brighton Half Marathon in memory of my daughter’s friend who died at 18. I ran to raise awareness of the work Grassroots Suicide Prevention does to prevent deaths by suicide. I had an amazing time running – so many people supporting each other along the packed streets of Brighton. I would definitely recommend this as an experience!”
We’re so grateful to everyone who took part and cheered from the sidelines.
Interested in getting involved next year? Sign-ups are now open.
Whether you’re experienced or a complete beginner, there’s a place for you.
If you can’t make it to Brighton, you can explore our other events here.
Stay Alive – Supporting our police force
Between 2022 and 2025, more than 100 police officers and staff died by suicide, including at least 70 officers, and there have been over 200 attempted suicides. The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has highlighted the scale of this silent crisis, calling for urgent action to prevent more lives being lost.
We’ve been working closely with Police Federations across the country to make the Stay Alive app more accessible on force devices, giving officers and staff practical support for suicide prevention. This collaboration has already led to 8,000 downloads across Hampshire and Thames Valley, and 3,000 across Leicestershire, a major step in embedding suicide prevention support across the force.
As part of this work, our Head of Partnerships and Innovation, Alex Harvey, presented at the Metropolitan Police Service’s Blue Monday Wellbeing Event on 19 January. Speaking to over 150 staff, Alex highlighted Stay Alive as an accessible digital tool for suicide prevention, early intervention, and clear signposting to support. We’re hopeful that the Metropolitan Police will soon roll out Stay Alive to more than 50,000 devices.
Campaigning in East Sussex
Our Stay Alive campaign continues to gain momentum across the UK. We’ve just completed our most recent campaign in partnership with East Sussex, building on our work with local authorities across North Central London, including Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, and Islington.
The results have been fantastic, generating nearly 150,000 impressions and 1,300 downloads across East Sussex from areas like Lewes, Hastings, and Eastbourne. Every download means more people with immediate access to suicide prevention resources; more families, friends, and carers equipped to help someone in crisis; and a foundation for safer, better-informed communities across the UK.
Piloting a new course with Sussex Recovery College
We’ve been proud to partner with Sussex Recovery College to pilot a new course, Staying Safe from Suicide, which draws on the practical guidance and tools from our Stay Alive app. Sussex Recovery College offers educational courses about mental health and recovery, designed to increase knowledge, build skills, and promote self-management.
Delivered as weekly sessions in Crawley throughout November, the course gave participants a safe, supportive space to reflect, discuss, and develop practical strategies to stay safe and manage suicidal thoughts. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with participants highlighting the value of exploring these issues in a structured, compassionate environment.
Following the success of the pilot, the course will run again in February in Shoreham, with plans to expand to other Recovery Colleges in 2026. The insights from the sessions are also helping us strengthen the Stay Alive app, so it can support people not only in moments of crisis, but as an ongoing learning and recovery resource.
Do you have a story to tell?
Have you experienced thoughts of suicide, overcome a period of crisis, or found ways to heal after losing a loved one to suicide? Your story could inspire hope, show that recovery is possible, and help others feel less alone.
We’re building a growing collection of voices to encourage, comfort, and empower people during their darkest moments. If you feel able to share your experience of resilience or recovery, your story could make a real difference.
What you can share:
- A video (up to 2 minutes). This is especially helpful.
- A short story (100–400 words) with a photo if you feel comfortable.
Your story doesn’t need to be perfect or polished. We’re simply looking for honest reflections about hope and recovery.
Support us through payroll giving
Payroll Giving is a simple, tax-free way to support our work directly from your salary. Because donations are deducted before tax, your gift automatically goes further. A £10 donation costs you just £8, with the taxman covering the rest. You can donate any amount, and once it’s set up, it’s completely automatic.
Getting started is easy:
- Ask your employer or HR team if a Payroll Giving scheme is in place and request a sign-up form.
- No scheme available? Encourage your employer to set one up, it’s quick, straightforward, and makes a real difference to organisations like ours.
Many workplaces offer to match their employees’ donations. Check with your employer to see if they can make your donation go even further.
Every penny helps us continue our life-saving work.
Supporting Search and Rescue volunteers to save lives
We were delighted to recently deliver a bespoke one-day training course for 19 dedicated volunteers from SUSSAR (Sussex Search and Rescue), covering how to identify and engage with people in mental health or suicidal crisis, the role of alcohol and drugs in these situations, and practical use of the Stay Alive app. Volunteers also explored how to protect their own wellbeing when repeatedly exposed to these challenging situations.
A huge thank you to the wonderful SUSSAR team for their engagement and commitment to supporting some of the most vulnerable people they encounter in the field.
We’re keen to deliver training like this to other Search and Rescue teams across the UK.
Addressing suicide risk and domestic abuse
Our Head of Training, Agnes Munday, was recently invited to present at the Healthcare Conference: Services and Outcomes for People Who Self-Harm. Agnes explored the complex dynamics between domestic abuse, self-harm, and suicidality – including how to identify warning signs, recognise barriers to help-seeking, and respond with appropriate intervention strategies.
Her session drew on our highly regarded course, Suicide Prevention in the Context of Domestic Abuse, and we were delighted to have had the opportunity to raise awareness of this vital and often overlooked issue.
Delivering training to the veteran community
We are honoured to be delivering our now CPD-accredited suicide prevention training to veterans at Blesma – The Limbless Veterans.
The evidence-informed course equips participants with practical tools and confidence to recognise and respond to suicide risk, delivered with sensitivity to the unique challenges faced by veterans.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 100% recommendation rate and real-world impact reported. Colin Branch, Blesma’s Head of Welfare Support and Designated Safeguarding Lead, shared: “Only recently, we had a member of staff dealing with online messaging, and the direct question, ‘are you thinking about taking your own life?’ absolutely helped to save that member’s life.”
As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, Grassroots Suicide Prevention is firmly committed to supporting the armed forces community. This specialist training forms a vital part of that pledge, ensuring that those who have served have access to high-quality, evidence-based suicide prevention skills and resources.