Small Talk Saves Lives

First launched in 2017, our Small Talk Saves Lives campaign aims to help reduce suicide at railway stations and other public settings by encouraging the public to trust their instincts and start a conversation.

Kingston Samaritans are reminding the public that small talk saves lives, and we are better at it than we think as part of the charity’s latest Small Talk Saves Lives campaign.

Newly released research from the suicide prevention charity reveals as a nation, 49% of us have avoided engaging with someone we don’t know due to the fear of having to make small talk – with over 1 in 5 of us (22%) worried we would say the wrong thing.

Furthermore, although 94% of people say they don’t have a go-to question to start small talk, Samaritans found across Great Britain, 80% of us state we have used small talk in our personal lives over the past month, and over half of us (52%) often or always use small talk in our professional lives too.

Delivered in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police, and the wider rail industry, Small Talk Saves Lives empowers the public to trust their instincts and gives them the confidence to start a conversation if they think someone needs help – small talk is no small thing; it saves lives.

The campaign reassures the public a little small talk like ‘do you know where I can grab a cuppa?’ can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and remind them support is available.

Although people might worry that you’ll say the wrong thing, the charity says saying something is better than saying nothing.