About Us

What is Bridge Watch?

What we do?

The ‘Bridge Watch’ Programme aims to provide a physical presence of teams of volunteers who will patrol the areas on and around the bridges of London and who have a brief to engage or intervene with anybody indicating intent to enter the water for, primarily, but not limited to, the purpose of suicide. The project aims to train and develop volunteers to identify and support those who are at risk of self-harm and suicide by listening, understanding, talking, and working with a team to provide the necessary support to help them.

Members of the public can be key to highlighting safety issues on the river. They might be the first to witness an incident and call 999, to flag something that doesn’t look right, or directly approach someone if they look as though they are in distress.

The Ascension Trust working very closely with a range of partners that have included the RNLI, Port of London Authority, The City of London Corporation, The City of London Police, The London Fire Brigade, The London Ambulance Service, and Thrive LDN and assisted by HM Coastguard, developed a strategic action plan that focused on the competencies required for Volunteers that would be delivered through training which has included input from The Listening Place and The Thames Skills Academy on Suicide Awareness and Intervention and from the Ascension Trust. These comprehensive training modules have included Active Listening Skills and Roles and Responsibilities.

There is also input from the Corporation’s Mental Health Triage Team, bringing their expertise to intervening with those in distress on a Bridge and answering important questions. Volunteers have also been required to do scenario-based training on the Bridges and will complete the RNLI water safety training. The training has given the volunteers the confidence to intervene and has equipped them with a range of strategies that can use in a variety of situations. A volunteer said, ‘I didn’t realise how hard it is to just listen, not to interrupt, not to talk about me, but I realise now, how important it could be for someone, just for me to listen and be there for them’

Bridge Watch contributed to the City Hope conference in November 2023 to outline the initiative and to work with other partners on the range of initiatives that are being deployed in London to reduce suicide and to raise awareness of the issues of suicide in the capital.

What is our impact?

The key aims and objectives of the ‘Bridge Watch’ programme are:

  • Establishment of coverage across identified key ‘risk periods and bridges’.
  •  A significant, recorded numbers, of positive engagements and interventions with individuals presenting as suffering mental health crises or distress.
  • Reduction in the percentage of persons that ‘come to notice’ that go on to enter the water
  • Reduction in the number of ‘custodial’ interventions that are required and a reduction in use of section 136.
  • Increased awareness of suicide and self-harm in the areas of the City of London.
  •  Increasing numbers of volunteers who are involved in suicide awareness and suicide prevention.
  • Increased number of people signposted in seeking further support.