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Tuesday 4 Mar 2025

"Your words are a life-saving kit" say Southern, Thameslink and Network Rail at launch of Samaritans’ Small Talk Saves Lives campaign

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Sussex

• Rail staff join Samaritans volunteers at stations across Sussex and Surrey
• Two in five of the UK (44%) say they sometimes find themselves struggling to cope.
• 67% of the UK we would appreciate someone checking on them, offering words of support, if they were struggling to cope.
• 40% of people admit to having avoided someone who didn't look OK because they were afraid of having to make small talk with them.

Southern, Thameslink and Network Rail are reminding everyone that when it comes to saving a life, you already have a life-saving kit available to you – your words. Anyone can do it.

And they are talking to passengers about it alongside Samaritans volunteers at stations across Sussex and Surrey.

Samaritans’ annual Small Talk Saves Lives campaign launches across the country today (Tuesday 4 March), encouraging people to start a simple conversation if they think someone doesn’t look OK - as two in five (44%) of us admit to finding ourselves struggling to cope sometimes.

Newly released research from the suicide prevention charity reveals as a nation, 67% of us say we would appreciate someone checking on us, offering words of support if we were struggling to cope.

Furthermore, 40% of people admit to having avoided someone who didn't look OK because they were afraid of having to make small talk with them; 30% say this was because they weren’t sure what to say, 1 in 3 (35%) of people said they were worried they’d say the wrong thing and 40% said they were worried their help would not be welcomed.

Launched in 2017, in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police and the wider rail industry, the nationwide campaign demonstrates how small talk can save lives.

With nearly two in three people (64% of the UK) saying they don’t currently have any go-to phrases to start small talk, Samaritans Head of the Rail Programme, Olivia Cayley, is reminding people that saying even a few words will mean a lot to those who are struggling to cope.

Samaritans’ volunteers have already been out this morning at Chichester and Hove, speaking to passengers about the campaign and how their words are a life-saving kit, and they will be joined by Southern, Thameslink and Network Rail staff at the following stations in the next few days:

• Haywards Heath 5 March 7am-9am
• Lewes 6 March 7am-9am
• Brighton 11 March 7am-9am & 5pm-9pm
• Hassocks 11 March 7am-9am
• Burgess Hill 12 March 7am-9am
• Preston Park 13 March 7am-9am
• Angmering 13 March 7.45am-09.45am
• Falmer 13 March 7am-9am
• Redhill 20 March 6.30am-10am

Olivia Cayley, Head of the Rail Programme at Samaritans, says: “We know that people can worry about saying the wrong thing or feel like it's not their place to step in, but it's always better to say something than to say nothing at all.

“A little small talk and a simple question like ‘Hey, are you alright?’ can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s negative thoughts.”

Hannah Lindsay, Security Improvement Manager at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “We’re proud to join Samaritans by welcoming their wonderful volunteers into our stations. This campaign is an important public reminder that we all have the skills to be a lifesaver, through the power of small talk.”

Sir Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said: “We can all have good days and bad days and that’s why it’s so important to look out for one another. This campaign is a powerful reminder for all who use the railway, passengers or staff, that small talk can be life-saving.

“I’m so proud we’re able to join Samaritans and British Transport Police once again to inform the public that starting a little conversation can go a long way to help someone in need of support.”

Small Talk Saves Lives builds on the wider rail industry suicide prevention programme, which has seen Samaritans, in partnership with Network Rail, train over 31,000 rail staff and British Transport Police in suicide prevention, enabling them to identify and support people in need of help.

Assistant Chief Constable Sean O’Callaghan, British Transport Police, said: “Our number one priority at BTP is to protect vulnerable people from harm, and with just a few words you can help us. From experience, we know that making small talk at the right time can really be enough to save someone’s life, but if you don’t feel comfortable or safe to intervene, please tell a member of rail staff or a police officer. You can text British Transport Police on 61016 or call 999.”

For more information and tips, visit Samaritans.org/smalltalksaveslives or join the conversation on social media using #SmallTalkSavesLives

About the research:

Mortar Research conducted the research via an online omnibus poll of 2085 respondents in February 2025.