The World Health Organisation estimate that every year over 700 000 people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt suicide. (World Health Organisation (2021) [1) Every single suicide is a tragedy that impact families, friends, colleagues, and entire communities and has devasting and long-lasting effects on the people left behind. In the UK, over the last few years over 5000 people have died by suicide each year. 115 people die by suicide in the UK every week (ONS) According to the NHS, 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts (NHS Digital) 1 in 14 people self-harm (NHS Digital) 1 in 15 people attempt suicide (NHS Digital).

The main aims of the Bridge Watch Initiative are the establishment of a coverage of volunteers across identified key ‘risk periods and bridges’ to prevent the number of people who enter the water and to reduce fatalities.

This is achieved from the ability of trained volunteers to actively engage and intervene with those people in distress. Volunteers are carefully selected and vetted through an ongoing recruitment process and are required to fulfil the requirements of an extensive training and competency framework. The Ascension Trust have developed interoperability with our statutory agencies, and mental health networks and charities, that have further improved the volunteers understanding and expertise. The volunteer teams provide a powerful, additional resource to tackle the tragedy of suicide from our capital’s bridges.

While reducing the number of deaths by suicide from the bridges it is intended that there will be a significant, recorded number, of positive engagements and interventions with individuals presenting as suffering mental health crises or who are in distress, enabling volunteers to listen and support these people, in an understanding, empathetic, non-judgemental and compassionate way that provides the opportunities to signpost people to appropriate support or to involve the emergency services where this is necessary.