PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a group of bereaved parents, who had each lost children to suicide. Our founding parents shared core beliefs that suicide is preventable, and that those of us with lived experience of suicide have a valuable and unique contribution to make to the wider conversation around suicide.

Since then, PAPYRUS has grown into a UK-wide charity with offices in north west England, south west England, West Midlands, London, Northern Ireland, north Wales, south Wales, and Scotland.

We deliver our suicide prevention education and training packages to thousands of people each year, to create suicide-safer communities across the UK.

We also press for change to current legislation around suicide prevention on a regional and national level.

The work we do centres around three key principles; Support Equip and Influence.

Suicide is the main cause of death in young people under the age of 35 in the UK.

In 2018, 1,866 young people under the age of 35 took their own lives.

Over three quarters of them were boys or young men.

On average, over five young people take their lives each day.

Over 200 schoolchildren are lost to suicide every year.

Research shows that with appropriate early intervention and support suicide by young people can be prevented.

Our guide uses a ‘community-model’ – supporting the belief that suicide is everyone’s business and that the community must be equipped and supported to prevent young suicide – as well as urging children and young people to speak up or ask for help. This underpins our work here at PAPYRUS.