Samaritans, Network Rail, British Transport Police and the Rail Industry Suicide Stakeholder Group have been nominated for a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) award at the prestigious Charity Times Awards.

Their suicide prevention programme has been nominated for CSR Project of the Year. Staff who work in the rail environment have been trained to spot anyone who may be at risk of taking their own life and lead them to safety and sources of support.

The programme also creates awareness-raising campaigns that encourage people to reach out for help before they reach crisis point, and Samaritans works with rail staff and the public, offering emotional support following traumatic incidents of death or injury. The listening skills shared impact positively beyond the industry into wider society, as well as the family and social networks of the staff involved.

Ian Stevens, who manages the Suicide Prevention Programme on behalf of Network Rail and the wider rail industry, commented:  “Our work with Samaritans, the British Transport Police and the rail industry to prevent suicides on the rail network is something we are incredibly passionate about, and we feel very proud that our hard work in this area is being recognised. We know that suicide is a complex issue and it is only by coming together that we have the ability to make real progress, and encourage more people to seek the help and support they need before they reach crisis point.

“Over the past six years more than 12,000 rail staff and transport police officers have been trained to equip them with the skills and confidence they need to approach and support those who may be vulnerable, and we know that these interventions are helping to save lives across the country. We look forward to continuing this important work with our industry partners and training more of our staff over the coming months so we can go even further in preventing suicides across our network.”