SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT UK

What SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT UK does

Suicide Bereavement UK (SBUK) is a UK-based, private limited company (Company Number 10027553) headquartered in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, founded in 2016 by Dr. Sharon McDonnell. The company delivers evidence-based, CPD-accredited suicide bereavement and prevention training built on NIHR-funded research conducted at the University of Manchester. Its core product is PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide), described as the first internationally-developed evidence-based suicide bereavement training, supported by a manual, workbook, and nine film clips. The portfolio extends across the RTS family (RTS1–RTS4) targeting emergency services, the general public, and the Armed Forces community; SELECT4 bespoke organizational training; Postvention Prison Training (launched September 2022, first of its kind internationally); and On The Go online modules. SBUK also hosts an annual international conference (15th edition scheduled for 16 September 2026) and runs the Alexander McDonnell Bursary offering free places to those bereaved by suicide.

SBUK operates a professional services and training revenue model combining public open-enrollment courses, in-house organizational training, online modules, consultancy, and conference ticket sales. Pricing is per-attendee (e.g., conference at £180 in-person and £99 livestream with student discount; prison training at £299+VAT per attendee), with revenue diversified across NHS bodies (North East and North Cumbria ICB, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS FT), police forces (Northumbria Police, PSNI), universities, prisons, and nonprofit organizations. Business development is led by a dedicated Business Development Director (Paul Higham), and the marketing mix spans the company website, organic social on LinkedIn/X/Instagram/Facebook, content marketing via the founder's blog and research publications, the annual conference, and campaigns such as #myhopeis.

SBUK is founder-led and operates without external venture capital, reinvesting surplus into independent research. It maintains research affiliations with the University of Manchester Centre for Mental Health and Safety, NIHR Greater Manchester PSTRC, Keele University, and the University of New England (Australia). The organization claims global education reach across 14 countries on 4 continents, supported by international conference participation, peer-reviewed publications, and contributions to UK policy through NICE Guideline 2018 and Public Health England documents. As of mid-2026, the company employs approximately 9 people and remains an active operating entity.

Name

SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT UK

Legal name

Suicide Bereavement UK Ltd.

Website

https://suicidebereavementuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Suicide Bereavement UK is a UK-based, founder-led training organization that delivers CPD-accredited, evidence-based suicide bereavement and prevention training (PABBS, RTS, SELECT4, Postvention Prison Training) to NHS bodies, police forces, universities, employers, and professionals, supported by an annual international conference and research partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Training Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Suicide bereavement training
• Postvention education
• Suicide prevention training
• CPD accredited workshops
• Mental health consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ramsbottom, Lancashire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Courses: Revenue generated from CPD-accredited training programs including PABBS one-day workshops, Responding to Suicide programs, and Postvention Prison Training. Offered both as public courses and in-house organizational training.
2. International Conference: Annual international conference on suicide bereavement. Revenue from ticket sales: £180 in-person attendance, £99 livestream, with 20% student discount. Also generates revenue through sponsorship and adopted places.
3. Online Modules: On The Go (OTG) online training modules providing self-paced learning opportunities.
4. Consultancy Services: Suicide bereavement consultancy services for organizations, policy makers, and employers seeking expert guidance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Suicide Bereavement UK provides CPD-accredited, evidence-based suicide bereavement and suicide prevention training programs — most notably PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide), RTS1–RTS4 Responding to Suicide variants, Postvention Prison Training, and SELECT4 workforce modules — alongside online self-paced learning, suicide bereavement consultancy for organizations, and an annual international conference. Offerings are delivered through public open-enrollment courses, in-house organizational training, online modules, and consultancy engagements, grounded in NIHR-funded research led by founder Dr. Sharon McDonnell.

Product overview

Suicide Bereavement UK provides evidence-based, research-informed suicide bereavement training and resources, developed and delivered by experts. The portfolio consists of PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide), the flagship CPD-accredited training workshop; RTS training programs (RTS1-RTS4) addressing different audiences including Emergency Services, Armed Forces, and General Public; SELECT4 for bespoke organizational training; Postvention Prison Training for prison staff; and On The Go Online Modules for flexible access. The company also hosts an annual international conference. Services are grounded in research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and developed at the University of Manchester.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide): CPD-accredited, evidence-based suicide bereavement training workshop designed to increase knowledge, skills and confidence of professionals who support those bereaved by suicide.
• RTS (Responding to Suicide)
• SELECT4
• On The Go (OTG)
• Alexander McDonnell Bursary

Products and services

• PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide) CPD-accredited, evidence-based suicide bereavement training workshop designed to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of professionals who come into contact with or are responsible for the care of those bereaved or affected by suicide; includes manual, workbook and nine film clips.
• RTS1 (Responding to Suicide - Emergency Services) Postvention training specifically designed for emergency services personnel responding to suicide.
• RTS2 (Responding to Suicide - Prevention for Emergency Services) Suicide prevention training for emergency services personnel.
• RTS3 (Responding to Suicide - General Public) Suicide prevention training designed for the general public.
• RTS4 (Responding to Suicide - Armed Forces Community) Specialized training for the Armed Forces community responding to suicide.
• SELECT4 (Bespoke Training for Workforce) Customizable, evidence-based suicide bereavement training for organizations and workplaces, including bespoke online modules for workforce development.
• Postvention Prison Training Evidence-based prison suicide bereavement training for prison staff, first of its kind internationally, providing confidence and skills on how to respond to and care for prisoners when a suicide occurs within a prison setting; priced at £299+VAT per attendee.
• On The Go (Online Modules) Online training modules providing flexible, on-demand access to suicide bereavement training content for self-paced learning.
• International Suicide Bereavement Conference Annual international conference bringing together professionals, researchers, and those bereaved by suicide to share knowledge and advance understanding of suicide bereavement; pricing of £180 for in-person attendance and £99 for livestream attendance with a 20% student discount. The 15th edition is scheduled for 16 September 2026.
• Suicide Bereavement Consultancy Services Consultancy services for organizations, policy makers, and employers seeking expert guidance on developing postvention services and workplace suicide prevention strategies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 staff trained through North East and North Cumbria ICB partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Postvention Trust CICcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration on 14th International Conference 'Suicide Bereavement: Leave No-One Behind' at Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, September 2025.
• Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2017Collaboration between the University of Manchester and Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP) to conduct national cross-sectional study on suicide bereavement. Data collected September 2017 to August 2018 via anonymous online survey with 7,158+ participants - the largest suicide bereavement survey internationally.
• Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR GM PSTRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIHR Greater Manchester PSTRC supports national roll out of PABBS training. Dr. Sharon McDonnell partnered with PSTRC to raise awareness of needs of those bereaved by suicide.
• University of ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Centre for Mental Health and Safety, University of Manchester. Multiple research collaborations including PABBS development, national survey, and ongoing research projects with professors Nav Kapur, Jenny Shaw, and others.
• If U Care Share FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on suicide bereavement research projects including #myhopeis campaign and national survey. Shirley Smith from foundation co-authored research.
• Keele UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham from Research Institute, Primary Care and Health Sciences. Prof. Chew-Graham co-authored PABBS research.
• University of New England (Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliation with Professor Myfanwy Maple from School of Health. Represents global reach of research network.
• Grassroots Suicide PreventionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization delivering school-based suicide prevention workshops as part of NIHR-funded trial led by Liverpool John Moores University.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zero Suicide Alliance: UK-based coalition offering free suicide prevention and awareness training to organizations and individuals. Directly comparable as a UK provider of large-scale suicide prevention training, though more focused on prevention than bereavement-specific training.
• PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide: UK charity delivering suicide prevention training (PAPYRUS SP-ARK) to professionals and communities, including schools, workplaces, and health settings. Comparable as a UK specialist training charity operating in suicide prevention with CPD-accredited programs.
• If U Care Share Foundation: UK suicide bereavement support charity co-leading the #myhopeis campaign and the 7,158-respondent survey with SBUK. Comparable as a suicide bereavement charity offering peer-led support services.
• Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP): UK coalition of suicide bereavement support organizations; co-conducted the 7,158-respondent survey with SBUK and the University of Manchester. Directly comparable as a suicide bereavement network focused on post-bereavement support and policy.
• Grassroots Suicide Prevention: UK charity delivering suicide prevention training to teachers, parents, and young people; also a partner of SBUK in NIHR-funded school-based prevention trials. Directly comparable as a specialist suicide prevention training provider targeting similar professional audiences.
• Postvention Trust CIC: UK organization collaborating with SBUK on annual international conferences; focused on supporting those bereaved by suicide. Comparable as a peer in postvention-specific programming and event delivery.

Broad incumbents

• CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): UK charity running a helpline and delivering workplace training on mental health and suicide prevention. Comparable as a broader mental-health/suicide prevention training provider serving corporate and public audiences.
• Samaritans: Large UK suicide prevention charity providing helpline services, workplace training, and postvention guidance to employers. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating across suicide prevention and bereavement support with overlapping training audiences.

Emerging players

• Winston's Wish: UK charity supporting bereaved children and young people, including after suicide, with training resources for professionals. Comparable as a bereavement-focused charity with an overlapping training/professional development audience in the suicide bereavement niche.
• James' Place: UK charity providing therapeutic support for men at risk of suicide, with expanding centre footprint and training/awareness programs. Comparable as a UK suicide-focused organization developing clinical and training capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SBUK11
• Facebookfacebook.com/suicidebereavementUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suicide-bereavement-uk-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/suicidebereavementuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT UK