Cumberland FA is proud to be in partnership with Every Life Matters Cumbria to continue to raise the awareness of suicide prevention and bereavement support. The following article is a message from Every Life Matters, supported by Cumberland FA...

"Understanding Suicide Bereavement" Training

Understanding Suicide Bereavement half day training is for people living or working in North Cumbria. Available online through CLIC. The aim of this 3 hour online session is to to understand why bereavement by suicide is a unique loss and how best to support those bereaved by suicide. Dates are available in May and June.

Community Champion Volunteers Needed

We want to start as many conversations about suicide as we can across our communities in Cumbria. Our Community Champions are a small network of individuals living and working in Cumbria who help us to engage people in the work of our charity, raise awareness about suicide prevention and support fundraising activity. Volunteers will receive thorough training and have access to ongoing training and development opportunities. This is a new role we will be developing across summer 2023, initially for two teams based in Carlisle and Barrow. 

For more information go to the Community Champions page. 

2019-2021 Suicide Rates in Cumbria

Too many lives are being lost across Cumbria to suicide. It remains the biggest killer of men under 50, women under 35 and our young people. Investment in Suicide Prevention counts, and the ask goes out to Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council to prioritise funding and leadership in suicide prevention in the future because every life matters. 

Side by Side - Online Support Groups launching in Cumbria

Every Life Matters is launching Side by Side - an online support group in Cumbria for people bereaved by suicide. These are an opportunity to meet others in Cumbria who have lost someone to suicide and share your experiences and feelings. Support groups are run by two trained facilitators from Every Life Matters via Zoom. The groups run once a week over six consecutive weeks, with each session lasting for 90 minutes. There are a maximum of seven participants in each group and sessions are free of charge. You may attend our support groups even if you are already receiving other types of support from us or other organisations.

Our Side by Side groups are based on the Facing the Future service developed by Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Support to help support people who have been bereaved by suicide. Our group facilitators have been trained by Samaritans and Cruse to run these style group in Cumbria.

To register your interest in joining a Side by Side group on Zoom, please visit our ‘Register’ page.

Support After Suicide

Suicide bereavement is a unique loss. It has been described as one of the most difficult and lonely experiences a person can have, being left with an overwhelming jumble of feelings and thoughts. 

Every Life Matters offers practical and emotional support at this critical and difficult time to people in Cumbria. When you contact us for help you will be offered an initial Gateway meeting, where we get to know you and your circumstances, and discuss what your support needs might be. After this we can offer further support sessions if needed, either in person, by telephone or online. Everyone has their own unique needs and the support we offer reflects this.

We are here to offer emotional support and a confidential listening ear. Help you to understand some of the responses you might be having to bereavement and to develop coping techniques to manage some of the impacts of grief.

We offer practical advise you about talking to your children or telling others about the death, information & support around the Coroner’s Inquest and other Investigations, help you manage any media interest and coverage about the death, as well as managing practical issues around money, funerals, housing and employment.

We also explore with individuals meaningful ways to remember their loved one, doing something to help others in their position, or undertaking fundraising or other events to raise awareness about suicide. Many people find this a very important part of their journey.

If you would like to receive support, or find out more about how we might help you at this time, contact Paul and Vicki on 07588 016 166 or email support@every-life-matters.org.uk

Suicide Bereavement Support Resources

Every Life Matters offers support to individuals, families and communities impacted by suicide across Cumbria in the early weeks and months following a death

By your side outlines the wider range of organisations across Cumbria providing support to individuals, families and children bereaved by suicide

Help is at Hand is a comprehensive handbook for anyone impacted by suicide

Finding the words explores how to support someone who has been bereaved by suicide

First Hand helps make sense of emotions and memories after involvement with a suicide