About
Who we are
Suicide Bereavement Support (SBS) was established in 2019 by the same people who provided the SOBS Cumbria service since 2010. We run a volunteer-led service and our volunteers come from all walks of life and have all been touched by suicide themselves, an experience which enables them to connect with others. We have a number of volunteers in Cumbria and the two primary points of contact are John Purdie and Karan Smith.
Our aim has always been to provide a platform for people to find support in whatever form works for them. This may be reading the information on this website or by coming to one of our group meetings or through our closed Facebook group or by occasional email or phone contact. The choice is yours; the main thing is to do what feels right for you at any point in time and that will change frequently especially in the early years.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to various pressures and personal circumstances, it is no longer possible to run the organisation on this voluntary basis and it has been decided by the Trustees that the charity is to be wound up over the coming months, finally closing at the end of June 2024. The full announcement (dated 4 September 2023) is in our Blog and please be assured that we will continue to support, to make connections and to signpost to other organisations in the months ahead. If you are bereaved by suicide and have any questions about our future, please email us via hello@sbs.org.uk. Thank you.
Why we exist
Each year in the UK, more than 6,000 people take their own life – each suicide has a devastating and lasting impact on their families, friends and communities. In Cumbria, we lose the equivalent of one person to suicide each week.
Faced with a sudden, often unexpected and sometimes violent death, people who have been bereaved experience a complex grief which typically includes strong feelings of guilt, self-reproach and questioning – “why?”. Discomfort, shame and stigma associated with suicide can make it difficult to talk about. There may be further complexities not common to 'normal' bereavements e.g. inquests, media coverage, trauma reactions and difficult family relationships.
Those bereaved by suicide often feel isolated at a time when they are hurting, suffering mental anguish and are vulnerable themselves to thoughts of suicide. Even those fortunate enough to have strong support networks can still feel alone, unable to share their true feelings for fear of their impact on others, particularly when they are also in a caring role for others who are bereaved.
There are thousands of people in Cumbria who have been deeply affected by suicide. The emotional, quality of life and financial impacts are long lasting and wide reaching. It is a major public health issue.
We were set up to meet the needs and break the isolation experienced by those bereaved by suicide. We are a self-help organisation and we have always aimed to provide a safe, confidential environment in which bereaved people could share their experiences and feelings, so giving and gaining support from each other. We have also strived to improve public awareness and maintain contacts with many other statutory and voluntary organisations.
Those needs are still there but, as a small group of volunteers, we have made the decision to wind down as an independent charity. We want to pass on the baton of support for those bereaved by suicide to other organisations who share our aims and focus and who have the resources and back up in place to look after those volunteering their time and emotional energy to supporting others.
Who we work with
Suicide Bereavement Support is represented on the Cumbria Suicide Prevention Leadership Group, which includes representatives from Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Cumbria County Council (now Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils), Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, Cumbria Constabulary, University of Cumbria, Cumbria Probation Trust, Every Life Matters, Samaritans, Mind and Unity. We will be working with these partners, and others, in the months ahead of our closure, planned for end of June 2024, to ensure continued support for all those across Cumbria and surrounding areas who have been involved with SBS.
How we are funded
We have relied on the generosity of the public, charitable trusts and other organisations to fund our work. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our charity – every donation, small and large has been welcomed and put to good use, helping to break the isolation and relieve the distress felt by those bereaved by suicide. Since we moved from SOBS (a national charity) to SBS, we have guaranteed that all funds are spent in Cumbria and the surrounding areas. This was important to us and those we support and was the primary reason for the change and we hope that we will be able to continue this focus via other organisations after June 2024.
Raising the funds to continue our work has been a constant challenge but we’d like to thank everyone who has contributed in any way. Monies in our accounts will continue to be spent in the coming months to fulfil our aims, as always. The Trustees will then ensure, after the end of June 2024, that any remaining funds are transferred elsewhere to be used locally to support those bereaved by suicide in future too.