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Notes to Editors

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 5136 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9 – 23 February 2022.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 16+)

For background information only:

This piece of work aims to encourage people to seek help before they reach crisis point and present themselves on the railway, either as a call for help, or to take their lives – sadly, an ongoing challenge that the rail industry faces. Last year, 247 people died by suicide on the railway. Despite the limited number of passengers and rail services throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, people are still making their way to the railway to end their lives, with this number steadily increasing as the restrictions around lockdown begin to ease.

Findings from the pracademic review have recommended tackling the appeal of the railway as a place to end your life by dissuading people from coming there in the first place (see appendix ‘Dissuasion Literature Review’). The findings included trying to inject more hope into people’s lives, training people to become good listeners and making railway stations ‘happier places’ as some suggestions for how to dissuade suicidal behaviour.

With all of this in mind, we’re launching Brighter Journey’s, a campaign which aims to turn stations into positive community hubs, as well as signposting to the Hub of Hope – an app run by our charity partner Chasing the Stigma offering further support for those struggling with their mental health.

About Chasing the Stigma:

Chasing the Stigma is a national charity committed to normalising mental health. We make it easy to find help through the Hub of Hope support app, we create an environment of understanding through our Ambassador of Hope training, and we campaign for change, every day.

The Hub of Hope was established in 2017 and was the brainchild of Liverpool Comedian, Jake Mills. Following his own suicide attempt in October 2013, Jake realised when talking through his own personal experience that many people didn’t know where to turn for help with their own mental health issues, so he and his team created the Hub of Hope – an app to bring together all of the mental health support available to someone in any given area.

To date, the Hub of Hope - which currently has 4,000+ services registered - has directed more than 300,000 people to life-changing and even life-saving help. The site has proved particularly popular amongst men aged 25-54, who are often cited as being most likely to die by suicide.

The Hub of Hope is free to download and use and free for organisations to register and it is available from App Store, Play Store and via www.hubofhope.co.uk. Mashbo works continually with the charity to develop the app in response to need and has created an iFrame that enables the app to be embedded seamlessly in third party sites, as well as creating admin access for third parties which allows them to update listings on the site directly. The app is also the foundation of the charity’s Ambassador of Hope training, which focuses on how to talk about mental health, how to effectively signpost those who need help to appropriate support and how to deal with a mental health crisis.

For further information about Chasing the Stigma visit: www.chasingthestigma.co.uk, to arrange an interview with Jake Mills or to find out more about the Hub of Hope contact: Marie Carter on 07949 029787 or email marie@queenbeecommunications.co.uk  Chasing the Stigma can be found on Twitter @ChasingStigma, Instagram @Chasingthestigma and Facebook Chasing the Stigma

About the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

At BACP’s heart is the message that counselling changes lives.

As the largest professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists, we champion the counselling professions and the expertise of our 60,000 members. We work to raise professional and ethical standards within the field and offer training, development and networking opportunities to our members.

Our register of members aims to protect the public and help them find therapists they can trust. We want clients, employers and the general public to know that a BACP registered practitioner adheres to high standards of proficiency, professionalism and good practice.

BACP uses the word 'therapy' to cover talking therapies, such as counselling, psychotherapy and coaching.

For more information visit www.bacp.co.uk