Like all suicide prevention charities, we are keen to listen to everyone’s experiences, regardless of how suicide has touched their lives.
mental health & suicide awareness charity
all about us
help in times of crisis
SOS WAS FOUNDED BY MICHAEL MANSFIELD QC AND HIS WIFE YVETTE GREENWAY-MANSFIELD, FOLLOWING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF LOSS BY SUICIDE
Our aims are simple – from the start, we realised the importance of communication, compassion and kindness to reduce shame, stigma and silence around mental health and suicide.
We are qualified by experience, not by certification. Through bereavement and personal mental ill health challenges, we believe we have the insight necessary to best support others. Only when you have trodden a certain path, can you understand the struggles of those coming behind you.
‘SOS is about building individual and collective resilience, empowering everyone to believe in their own self worth’
Yvette Greenway-Mansfield, CEO, SOS
SUICIDE AWARENESS & SUPPORT
Our vision is to help drive a reduction in suicide rates by working with organisations, charities, individuals and communities, offering support, guidance & empowerment to those in need, or in crisis, whilst reducing the shame, stigma and silence that is all too prevalent in society
Our mission is to help work towards reducing suicide rates, year upon year.
Open and safe methods of communication are just one part of support. Access to the right services that offer continuity and stability are another.
More money needs to be allocated towards mental health; not just that, it’s important that the right, fully trained and dedicated clinicians are available to those who need them.
Waiting lists of 1 year and above are too long and for some, too late.
This country should be doing much better in the adequate provision of mental health care.
ABOUT US – What we do
PHONE SUPPORT, GROUP MEETING SUPPORT
ONLINE SUPPORT
We were formed as a social support group in 2015 following the loss of two loved ones to suicide. We became a registered Charity in 2017.
Our core focus is to provide free (to the public) group meetings in a safe physical space, or online, where anyone affected by suicide or poor emotional health can talk openly and honestly about their thoughts.
Whether our meetings are public or private, the content of these discussions has broadened tremendously since our inception, when the focus was fully on suicide. We now discuss, in depth, some of the many reasons that can lead someone to have thoughts of suicide, or to attempt it and explore these
We have had discussion input from people who do not class themselves, and have not been diagnosed as having, poor mental health, but still wish to end their lives by suicide. The reasons for this are multiple, but include not understanding the ‘purpose’ of life, feeling a sense of hopelessness (but not necessarily despair or depression) and those with terminal illnesses who wish to choose when and how they will pass away.
There can be many reasons for fragile mental health – financial and work concerns, domestic abuse victims, the elderly who may live alone, in care or have mobility restrictions, those in isolated professions or geographical areas, single parents struggling to cope on their own, young people and the pressures and changes they encounter as they grow up, victims of bullying, ex service and military personnel, those meeting prejudice because of their sexuality and gender, or trying to come to terms with it themselves, ethnic minorities – the list is endless.
In short, no-one is immune from poor emotional health, but there is hope and help for everyone.
WHERE Do We Host our meetings?
Now that society is mixing again, we are re-introducing our physical meetings which were so hugely successful before Covid19. Keep an eye on our Events page as details will be announced as soon as possible
Our telephone support line, for those struggling and/or in crisis, gives users the opportunity to call our fully trained and security checked volunteers between 8pm and midnight Friday to Monday inclusive. Our number is:
0300 1020 505 (standard rate call) UK ONLY, FOR ADULTS & CHILDREN AGED 12 PLUS
We also host occasional online zoom meetings – check our events page regularly for details and dates.
IF YOU’RE AN EMPLOYER: Talk to us about our confidential, group talking and listening sessions that we can provide for your staff. Whatever size your business, we can host online meetings for up to 100 staff members at a time.
Consider using our services if you’re just starting to implement mental health support in the workplace or to complement your existing mental health support protocols. Please email: contact@sossilenceofsuicide.org and we will get back to you.
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO
MENTAL HEALTH & SUICIDE charity
Prevention, Intervention, Awareness (PIA)
We believe that communication – that is speaking and listening – to others who have experienced similar situations to yourself, is key in helping people work to improve their mental wellbeing. There is a saying ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ and there is no doubt that talking with others can help lessen the burden people carry. At the heart of everything we do is a desire to reduce shame, stigma and silence.
Just some of the feedback from our users includes:
‘Thank you so much for listening to me, I feel better for talking’
‘Thank you for everything you do. Your services are vital’
‘I’ve never talked to anyone about how I feel before. You’re the first person. Thank you so much’
‘Talking to me has given me some self help ideas for times when I feel really bad’
‘I’ve just managed to get out of bed and it’s thanks to you, you’ve given me the ability to do this’
Everyone is potentially vulnerable, and fragilities are exposed and created when people are concerned about jobs, paying the mortgage or rent and simply having enough money to exist on from day to day.
The shame, stigma and silence that surrounds not just suicide, but mental health generally, is something we are passionate about changing. No one should feel judged. No one should feel awkward. No one should feel isolated because of their poor mental health.
For as long as it takes, we will continue to support everyone who needs our help
