Thrive LDN, a citywide mental health partnership, is calling on Londoners to spare 20 minutes to complete free, online training and be prepared to save a life as part of its #ZeroSuicideLDN campaign.
Launched ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, which takes place on Tuesday 10 September, resources are also available for partners to support this year’s campaign and can be downloaded as part of a toolkit.
About #ZeroSuicideLDN
Suicide is the leading cause of death in people aged 15–29, and the biggest killer of men under 49 in the UK. In London, the sad truth is suicide is the cause of death of around 10 Londoners every week.
Launched five years ago in September 2019 by the Mayor of London, the #ZeroSuicideLDN campaign has now supported more than 400,000 people across the capital access free, online suicide prevention training.
Developed by the Zero Suicide Alliance, the training takes around 20 minutes to complete and is designed to show how to have a direct and honest conversation about suicide and mental health with friends and family. The training also helps to break the stigma of talking about mental health, suicidal thoughts and bereavement.
Cllr Dr Jacqui Dyer MBE, mental health equalities advisor for NHS England and co-lead of Thrive LDN, said: “We know that living and working in London can be stressful, and right now for some it may be overwhelming. That is why we want to encourage as many people as possible to take free, online training to know what to do if a loved one, colleague or stranger is in crisis.
“By doing so, we are working towards a city that is stigma free, where people can have a more direct and honest conversation about suicide with fellow Londoners in a safe and sensitive way. Especially considering the challenges so many Londoners – and particularly those from marginalised and racialised communities – have faced in recent years.”
During the last twelve months, on average 1 in 4 (25%) of the total number of completed training sessions each month are being done by those living or working in London.
#ZeroSuicideLDN campaign organisers, Thrive LDN, have praised how this demonstrates the spirit of Londoners to play their part in looking out for other Londoners – as well as showcasing the collective effort from London partners to support the citywide campaign.
Further information
To find out more about the suicide prevention training and resources available, visit the Thrive LDN website.
Find links to helplines and resources on our Getting help in a mental health crisis webpage.
Read how a previous suicide prevention campaign may have made a real difference in a story from Barnet Council.