‘Towards Zero Suicide' began in the US with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention creating the Zero Suicide (ZS) Model. Programmes in America have shown that suicide can be prevented. It's based on the belief that a systematic approach to care can prevent suicide deaths for people under care in health systems.
In Cornwall the ‘Towards Zero Suicide’ campaign began in 2016. It has run successfully since then. We have continued with the annual Towards Zero events as a way to bring together a community of people who are working to reduce suicides in the county.
Why we aim for a zero target
The reason we're aiming for a zero target is because suicide is preventable. Deaths by suicide are not inevitable deaths.
Towards Zero suicides is an ambition. It is a way of bringing together and engaging with our community to help to prevent suicide.
Zero suicides is an ambitious target. But as the World Health Organisation Director General said, ‘every single life lost to suicide is one too many’
Towards Zero Newsletter
We'll be providing regular content and updates to anyone who is interested in supporting our work to reduce the number of deaths by suicide in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
If you'd like to receive our newsletter straight to your inbox you can subscribe below.
Subscribe to the Toward Zero Newsletter
Towards Zero Event
Each year we hold an event to bring our community together to think about the ways in which we can support our ambition for zero suicides in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The 2024 event was held at The Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge. Download the slides from the presentations.
Here are the videos from this year’s event:
Rachel Wigglesworth
Director of Public Health
Serena and Elliot Jolly - Sunrise Cornwall
Anne Embury and Paul Reeve - Suicide Bereavement Support
Download the Postvention guidance for Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Sector
Becky Miles - Healthy Cornwall: What training do we offer?
Michelle Hooker and Paula Chappell - Real Time Suicide Surveillance
Laura Truckle - Leaving well, Living well: Life after military service
Steve Webb - Understanding self-harm in the context of suicide
Katy Roberts - Saddle to Sea
Towards Zero 2024 Q and A panel