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Start the Conversation: Suicide Prevention Education, Central Brighton (2025)

20/11/2025

There is ten minutes left of International Men’s Day

I’m on a rail replacement bus (Reading to Gatwick, fun times) trying to get home

And I’m raising an imaginary glass (of AF beer in my case) to men 🍺

To the allies (and the ones who aren’t, yet)
To the ones to ‘get it’ (and who don’t, yet)
To the ones who know that vulnerability is strong and sexy (and who don’t, yet)
To the ones who belly laugh and cry openly and stay curious (and who don’t, yet)

To fellas like who has written an INSANELY good book that everyone should read (search How To Help Him on Amazon- sorry it’s Amazon 🙈)

Like and who are making the world softer and kinder and more connected.

Like and .love_ who are honing their crafts into precious offerings the world needs.

Like and who are creating communities where men feel truly safe.

Like my dad Allett who first taught me what a good man looks like.

Like my gorgeous husband who is bold, inspiring and principled, not to mention my biggest cheerleader and my steadiest rock.

I made this on my journey👇 and I hope there’s something useful in there for someone.

Yikes. It’s 11:59pm. Best press “post”!

***de

17/11/2025

Rest in peace Lara 💔

Like anyone who walked or worked alongside her, I was utterly heartbroken to learn last night that , dedicated mental health and su***de prevention advocate, known and loved by so many of us in this space, took her own life on Friday.

I met Lara a few times over the past 2.5 years. Initially we met through the , prompting a stream of mutual support around our Brighton day in 2023, and the day she led in Portsmouth recently.
.. I met her again when she completed the two-day ASIST workshop with us in Brighton last year (with Lily by her side of course 🐾)
.. And most recently our work overlapped with the memorial website and quilts.

She was surrounded on all sides by people who cared deeply for her, who knew ‘what to say and do’, who knew about her struggles. And still, she is gone.

A sobering, devastating reminder that, despite the kindest words, the most active of listening, the offers of well-meaning and meaningful support, the best training in the world, and the knowledge that a caring conversation CAN save a life - that sometimes, tragically, it can’t.

What can we do this week? I’m feeling somewhat lost, and brain-muddled, but here are some thoughts.

🐾 Check in regularly with friends who are ‘visible’ as well as ‘invisible’.
🐾 Remember that heart-led work (like advocacy, caring, activism, speaking with lived experience), despite often being its own reward, takes its toll. Carers need caring for too.
🐾 We never truly know what someone is going through.
🐾 ‘Safety for now’ (as taught in the ASIST course) is sometimes as short and crucial as ‘safety for the next five minutes’.

Lara, you will not be forgotten 💔

Photograph of vibrant Lara and her beloved Lily taken in May 2024 when she stayed with my family in Brighton, for the ***deandco walk along the seafront. I remember this moment vividly; one of those “oh wow! Stop right there! I need to take your picture!” shrieking-with-laughter moments ❤️

05/11/2025

I made a thing 👆

Because we’re doing a few things.

And we hope to see you at one of the things.

Because these ‘things’ are really, super, mega* important.

Life-saving, many say.

See you there?

Booking link in bio or here:
www.starttheconversation.uk/trainingforall

* Is anyone else’s 6-year-old OBSESSED with the word ‘mega’?

***deprevention ***depreventiontraining

Big love and gratitude always to my co-creators and co-trainers .future to ASIST creators at and also to fellow trainers and team-mates and special thanks to Murray Cowell and the crew 🙏 ❤️

03/11/2025

I didn’t know Jim Warden.

But he sure sounds like the sort of fella I’d like to know.

What would you want written on *your* bench?

Or headstone, for that matter?

Shortly before I left Australia (I lived in Sydney for a year 2017-2018, working part time as counsellor in a girls high school, and part time delivering the ASIST su***de intervention training around the country…)

Shortly before I left Australia, I went to an unforgettable immersive art experience called We Are All Going To Die.

There were a bunch of death-inspired activities designed to challenge and confront, and writing our own headstones was one of them.

I think I’d be happy with “A gentle woman.”

02/10/2025

When did we stop dancing*?

I’m really not that great at it, but I *adore* how dancing makes me feel.

And it keeps popping up in my life:

💃 I learned ballet and tap until age 16 when I felt it wasn’t “cool” any more and stopped (big life regret!)
💃 In my mid 20s, I convinced my boss to give me a 6 month unpaid sabbatical so I could fulfil my childhood dream of learning to dance flamenco in Spain.
💃 Over the last few years I’ve occasionally spontaneously taken myself dancing (ceroc), inspired by my dad Ted Allett who at age 77 dances 2-3 x a week and is one of my favourite people to whirl me round a room.
💃 I’m not even going to mention Strictly. Oops, I just did 😉

And lately I’ve been craving more dance in my life.

So today, along with 30+ others, I’m starting the October Dance-a-Day Challenge run by my friend and fitness coach Talia.

Want to jump on board?
Or rather, shimmy on board? 🕺

Find Talia on insta or message me for the sign up link!

* Yes, I know I’m not dancing in this pic. I’m bouncing on a trampoline at a campsite somewhere in Switzerland this summer. It’s the most appropriate image I could find!

***deprevention

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

❤️‍🩹 If you are worried about someone you know, if you are bereaved by su***de, if you are thinking of su***de: you are NOT ALONE. Links to support in my bio or at www.starttheconversation.uk/get-help

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

25/09/2025

Yesterday, an extraordinary thing happened.

I was on the phone to a company director, who was enquiring about su***de prevention training for their team.

Over the course of our call, it became apparent that this person was struggling personally. Like, a lot. Really not OK.

A few concerning words, some telling long pauses.
The things they said. The things they didn’t say.

We spoke about su***de; they had been thinking about it for a while. They had started to make plans but were (thankfully) seeking a way to stay alive. This person didn’t want to die, but they were desperate and in what felt like unbearable pain. They needed someone to listen.

And then (and here’s the extraordinary bit) they suddenly said: “Hold on a minute Rose. Someone’s walking towards me and I think they’re going to speak to me.”

Then I heard a stranger’s voice.

“I know you don’t know me, but I just noticed you over here on this bench, and I had to come check on you. Are you OK?”

As I listened to the short, kind exchange that followed, tears filled my eyes.

When they came back on the line, I just took a breath and said: “Wow.”

And they said “Yeah. I know. What are the chances? I guess there are some good people in this world.”

We gently continued then wrapped up our conversation, focussing on a couple of clear next steps that would keep them safe, and we said our goodbyes.

I made a cup of tea.
Answered a couple of emails.
Picked up Stan from school.
Got on with my day.

And I’ve not stopped thinking about this angel in the park.

I dream of a world where anyone feels confident to walk up to a stranger they are worried about and say these life-saving words.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

19/09/2025

“I started out skeptical…”

… is something we hear a lot from our TAS10* participants.

Our participants might arrive on a session feeling:

🫤 Skeptical (that they could ever prevent a su***de)
🫤 Anxious (that they will feel upset by the training)
🫤 Heartbroken (following su***de loss)

And they leave feeling:

🙏 Confident (to start a conversation about su***de)
🙏 Empowered (with tools in their tool belt)
🙏 Hopeful (that they can make a difference to help keep others alive)

From heartbroken to hopeful.

It’s quite a thing to witness and to facilitate.

And our training team does an incredible job of it. I am so proud of them all, and what we are achieving through the TAS10 training (and ASIST too!), one session at a time.

* TAS10 (in case you don’t know yet) = Talking about Su***de: 10 Tools, the su***de prevention training I created with from .future in 2018.

We now offer a BASIC version (90-120 minutes) and an EXTENDED version (half-day) - both are available online and face-to-face.

We’ve just added some more open taster session dates (all 12:30-14:00) - come see if the TAS10 training is what your organisation needs?

Thursday 13th November
Wednesday 21st January 2026
Monday 16th March 2026

Book here 👉 http://talkingaboutsu***de.eventbrite.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

❤️‍🩹 If you are worried about someone you know, if you are bereaved by su***de, if you are thinking of su***de: you are NOT ALONE. Links to support in my bio or at www.starttheconversation.uk/get-help

💡 I send a monthly email called ‘The Lighthouse’ - rays of light to navigate life’s storms. Sign up via link in bio or at www.tinyurl.com/thelighthouseemail

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

16/09/2025

This morning I talked with a mate who has temporarily forgotten how brilliant she is.

She’s sitting amidst a perfect storm of challenges (the kind of storm that hits us all at some point)

I say sitting. More accurately: tossing, turning, reeling, spinning in circles.

Ah but yes, she’s making sure she does a lot of sitting too.

Sitting and breathing. Eyes closed in the sunshine.

She’s not in a good place, at all.

Here are the kinds of things I said this morning that she said helped. All inspired by words that friends and colleagues have said to me in the past, when I’ve been in a storm of my own.

Because, as we know, when we’re worried about someone, saying NOTHING is the ONLY wrong thing to say.

Do you need to call a mate today?

Sharing with permission. She knows who she is ❤️

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

📝A little note: I’m “out of office” all of August and experimenting, for the first time, with writing posts in advance. I wrote this post in July. My point? If you comment, I’ll love it but I won’t see it or reply until September. I promise I’m not being rude! I’m just learning to rest properly.

☝️I teach teams and communities to talk about ***de with confidence, clarity and compassion. Because a conversation can save a life.

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

❤️‍🩹 If you are worried about someone you know, if you are bereaved by su***de, if you are thinking of su***de: you are NOT ALONE. There are people who get it, people who care, people who can help. Links to support in my bio or at www.starttheconversation.uk/get-help

💡 I send a monthly email called ‘The Lighthouse’ - rays of light to navigate life’s storms. Sign up via link in bio or at www.tinyurl.com/thelighthouseemail

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

28/08/2025

Su***de won’t happen in your workplace, school or community…

Until…

It does 💔

Far too often, we are asked to deliver su***de prevention training in workplaces, schools and communities AFTER someone has taken their own life.

For that person, and for their family, friends, colleagues, community, it is TOO LATE.

Please: don’t let this be the case for YOUR workplace, school or community.

Because it is widely believed that most su***des are preventable.

(A truly heartbreaking thought for anyone bereaved by su***de.)

A conversation CAN save a life.

Let’s be honest: perhaps not always. No matter how much we want to, we can’t save the world.

But how many of us can TRULY say that we could proactively start a conversation about su***de with someone we’re worried about?

A conversation with confidence, clarity and compassion.

A conversation that might be exactly what someone needs to stay alive today.

The horrendous truth is that su***de could happen in your workplace, school or community. I sincerely hope it never does.

But it could. It might.

Ask yourself: what is stopping you from wanting to learn how you could possibly prevent that?

When you’re ready, let’s talk.

You know where I am 🌹

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

📝A little note: I’m “out of office” all of August and experimenting, for the first time, with writing posts in advance. I wrote this post in July. My point? If you comment, I’ll love it but I won’t see it or reply until September. I promise I’m not being rude! I’m just learning to rest properly.

☝️I teach teams and communities to talk about ***de with confidence, clarity and compassion. Because a conversation can save a life.

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

26/08/2025

For someone who is pretty widely travelled, even fairly intrepid (hitchhiked across Albania, driven across the Sahara, bungee jumped off the Victoria Falls…)

… My sense of geography is SHAMEFUL.

If you asked me to place, say, “Worcester” on a map, I couldn’t.

Maybe you couldn’t either?

Let’s make this a shame-free zone!

Here’s a map to help!

Do you live somewhere on this map?

Maybe in or near

Why am I asking?

Because later this year, we are running 2 x two-day ASIST workshops in Worcester, at the head office of Sanctuary (who are hosting) and on each workshop we currently have 10 spare spaces.

ASIST = Applied Su***de Intervention Skills Training

ASIST is for anyone with a pulse who wants to know how to prevent su***de through a conversation, and I’m always banging on about it. (In this post, I was *literally* banging a drum 🥁: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/roserowkins_brighton-london-manchester-activity-7328327978185113601-MWb2?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAh9qhoBG27DfrPm6ol-gb5RbndDHYuAuUY)

Here are the dates of our Worcester ASISTs:

2nd-3rd October - delivered by , Paul Alcock and me

13th-14th November - delivered by and Bernadette Davies

Want to take two days to learn the most important thing you’ll ever learn?

👉 Booking link in bio or here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/starttheconversation-107628908201

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m (Rose Rowkins) 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

📝A little note: I’m “out of office” all of August and experimenting, for the first time, with writing posts in advance. I wrote this post in July. My point? If you comment, I’ll love it but I won’t see it or reply until September. I promise I’m not being rude! I’m just learning to rest properly.

☝️I teach teams and communities to talk about ***de with confidence, clarity and compassion. Because a conversation can save a life.

Su***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

21/08/2025

Every night, for almost 6 years, whenever I tuck my lad Stan into bed, I have asked him:

“Is it better to be clever or kind?”

At first, of course, he couldn’t speak. But I always asked.

And then, when he could, he thought about it, clearly desperate to please me (it takes a people pleaser to know a people pleaser) and often he would say hesitantly….

“Clever, mama?”

I’d smile and say “Try again.”

Now, every night, he knows the answer is KIND.

Every time.

KIND.

Our world needs a LOT of things right now.

And surely one of them we could do with in abundance is kindness.

It costs nothing and can

📷 Photo taken through a window in Brighton, a city that seems to be, I’m proud to say, fuelled mostly by kindness. But not always. Even here, there is work to be done.

Special shout outs to Kevan Smith and the Brighton United team, Carolynn Bain and Afrori Books, April Baker and Together Co, Dan Flanagan, Toni Finnimore, Sam Thomas and everyone else who is dedicated to creating multi-generational, diverse, accessible spaces that make our city kinder and more connected. Special thank you also to Sophie Bretag, the queen of kind Down Under.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

📝A little note: I’m “out of office” all of August and experimenting, for the first time, with writing posts in advance. I wrote this post in July. My point? If you comment, I’ll love it but I won’t see it or reply until September. I promise I’m not being rude! I’m just learning to rest properly.

☝️I teach teams and communities to talk about ***de with confidence, clarity and compassion. Because a conversation can save a life.

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

14/08/2025

The word ‘newsletter’ kinda makes me cringe.

(You too?)

But *clearly* I’m a massive hypocrite, because, umm, I do actually send one every month.

Only to people who have asked me to! 727 people and counting…

I mean, I guess you could call it a newsletter 🤷‍♀️

My snappy monthly email is called “The Lighthouse”, because it aims to:

❤️ Shine a light on su***de through the darkness and fog - because talking about su***de is the best form of prevention we have.  
❤️ Help us to be a steady beacon of hope for people in our lives who are struggling to stay alive. 
❤️ Remind us that although life is fragile, precious and short: no one is alone. 
❤️ Acknowledge the turbulent seas and the storms we all weather, as we celebrate being human, in all its real, raw, messiness.

I love writing it, even though I still want to run and hide under a rock when I press ‘send’ each month.

Getting feedback like this, from Sara Dyer (shared with permission - thank you Sara) helps me keep on track, and keep doing what I’m doing.

If you want a little light in your inbox each month, click to sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/thelighthouseemail

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hi, I’m Rose Rowkins 🌹
(pronounced Row as in Row Row Your Boat, not Row as in argument 😉)

☝️I teach teams and communities to talk about ***de with confidence, clarity and compassion. Because a conversation can save a life.

✍️ To enquire about su***de prevention training, email hello@tas10.co.uk (for TAS10) or hello@starttheconversation.uk (for ASIST or anything else)

❤️‍🩹 If you are worried about someone you know, if you are bereaved by su***de, if you are thinking of su***de: you are NOT ALONE. There are people who get it, people who care, people who can help. Links to support in my bio or at www.starttheconversation.uk/get-help

***dePreventionTraining ***dePrevention

Start the Conversation: Suicide Prevention Education

20/11/2025

17/11/2025

05/11/2025

03/11/2025

02/10/2025

25/09/2025

19/09/2025

16/09/2025

28/08/2025

26/08/2025

21/08/2025

14/08/2025

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