A Devon based social enterprise Action To Prevent Suicide CIC, is the fifth organisation to receive a £10,000 launchpad loan from the Health & Wellbeing Challenge Fund (South West) (H&WCF), managed by social investment company Resonance. The £10K unsecured loan will allow the enterprise to build capacity, take on further staff and increase their order book, enabling them to draw further investment from the Fund in the future.
Suicide is a global issue that takes someone’s life every 40 seconds. It’s the biggest killer of young people and men under fifty, yet two-thirds of people who take their own lives do not approach their GP or health professional[1].
Action To Prevent Suicide CIC is a not-for-profit community interest company, with a vision for a life-affirming world free from suicide. Its aim is to prevent suicide by helping people recognise and support those at risk, whilst also raising awareness and breaking the stigma. Also, to create suicide safer communities through a package of training, advice, collaboration and guidance. This is very much the focus of this year’s world suicide prevention day’s theme of “working together”.
Action To Prevent Suicide is a relatively new organisation set up in February 2018 in Totnes, Devon however, the managing director has experience of working in health, wellbeing and suicide prevention. They are working collaboratively with many other organisations, joining an alliance of those already working in this area. The education and training programmes are delivered to a range of audiences from healthcare professionals and companies to community organisations and young people. Individuals can also book into their workshops. Action To Prevent Suicide would like to have a suicide prevention first aider in every work place and across communities. The organisation is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance and the Devon and Torbay Suicide Prevention Alliance.
The Health & Wellbeing Challenge Fund is an impact investment fund established with investment from the Growth Fund and South West Academic Health Science Network (SWAHSN). The Growth Fund is managed by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment and is funded from the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital.
The Fund seeks to make social impact investment more accessible and relevant to smaller social enterprises looking to expand their operations and impact in the South West linked to the broad theme of Health & Wellbeing. Action To Prevent Suicide is an ideal social investment opportunity for the Fund, demonstrating significant positive impact. For each suicide approximately 135 people suffer intense grief or are otherwise affected. This amounts to 108 million people per year, who are profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviour[2]. The investment will help Action To Prevent Suicide to increase the number of training packages they provide and extend their reach to those affected across the South West
Chukumeka Maxwell, Managing Director at Action To Prevent Suicide said of the investment: “We’re hugely grateful for all the support we have received from Resonance. Their investment will enable us to amplify our message and train many more people in suicide first aid. We’re at a crucial stage on our development and can now respond much more proactively to the demand for our training courses. This will literally save lives and we’re honoured that we are being helped in this way.”
Tom Crook, Investment Analyst at Resonance describes the deal: “It is exciting to work with someone who has such a wealth of experience in suicide prevention and whose goal is to get people talking about it in communities and work places around the UK. They do a vital job in working to remove the stigma around this difficult subject.”
[1] International Association for Suicide Prevention Facts Sheet:
https://www.iasp.info/wspd/pdf/2018/2018_wspd_facts_and_figures.pdf
Action To Prevent Suicide CIC is a not-for-profit community interest company whose vision is for a life-affirming world free from suicide. Working to prevent suicide by helping people recognise and support those at risk, whilst also raising awareness and breaking the stigma. Their shared aim is to achieve this through training, advice, collaboration and guidance.
Contact:
If you have any queries regarding Action To Prevent Suicide please contact:
Chukumeka Maxwell, Managing Director
E: [email protected]
T: 01803 226227 M: 07528241400
follow @SuicideSaferC
https://actiontopreventsuicide.org
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Resonance Limited is a company registered in England and Wales no. 04418625
Resonance Impact Investment Limited, a subsidiary of Resonance Limited, is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firm number 588462.
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