Small Talk Saves Lives

You have all the experience you need to help save a life

Did you know a little small talk can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts?

Samaritans launched Small Talks Saves Lives together with British Transport Police, Network Rail and the wider rail industry to empower the public to use small talk to save lives on the railways and beyond.

It’s a small but simple thing. If you think somebody might need help, trust your instincts and strike up a conversation. You can’t make things worse.

Why we're doing this

Small Talk Saves Lives is a campaign to empower the public to act to prevent suicide on the railways and other settings. Suicide is preventable and suicidal thoughts are often temporary and can be interrupted. We want to give as many people as possible the skills to notice if someone might be at risk and give them the confidence to approach them. A simple question or observation can be all it takes to interrupt suicidal thoughts and start the journey to recovery. We’re reminding people that they already know how to start a conversation, giving them the confidence to act.

An example of the importance of our campaign is Sarah's story. A stranger on a train platform helped stop Sarah from taking her own life. With Sarah's permission, we used her story to develop the first phase of the campaign and show others how small talk saved her life*.

*Sarah’s name has been changed