Branch of IMHN involved with launching Suicide Prevention Innovation Fund


This news item was originally posted in October 2019. Since then, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Shine On campaign and the completion  of a number of initiatives funded by the Suicide Prevention Innovation Fund, with more to come in the coming months. To stay up to date, visit the Shine On website!

Content note; please note that this piece contains discussions of suicide and self-harm. 


As part of work taking place in the South West to combat early deaths by suicide, the Bristol branch of the Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) is supporting the Suicide Prevention Innovation Fund. This will form part of a suicide prevention campaign later this year, taking place Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The fund has been launched to support local groups whose work helps to prevent suicide and self-harm across the local area. Events, initiatives and activities in support of this aim can benefit from funding of up to £250 (or £500 if the event takes place across the three areas).

You can read more about the launch of the fund here. Watch out for more updates and information about the upcoming main campaign, coming soon!

More information about BIMHN’s work on Suicide Prevention

This Winter’s campaign, and the Suicide Prevention Innovation Fund discussed here, has been initiated by the Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (‘BNSSG’) Suicide Prevention Transformation Fund Group. This group has been in operation since May 2018. The group manages an amount of money, allocated by NHS England, to address the issue of a relatively high suicide rate across the local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP).

The group has already funded campaigning activities and initiatives such as the Hope Project, working to reduce suicide in men.

The Bristol branch of IMHN, BIMHN, sends two representatives to the group meetings, both of whom have lived experience of suicide. Other partners of the group include Bristol City Council, BNSSG Clinical Commissioning Group, Community Access Support Service Bristol, and South Gloucestershire Council.

October 4, 2019 at 12:38 pm