Last Updated: 16 October 2026 I Reading Time: 6 minutes
Summary
On 14 October 2026, The Big Fandango held the Bury Suicide Prevention Conference at The Met in Bury. GLP Solicitors supported the day and took part in it. This year’s conference focused on suicide prevention for children and young people.
The programme covered school provision, community support, online safety, neurodiversity and bereavement support, with speakers from across the UK. This article explains what the conference looked at, why it matters in our community, and where to find support.
Please note that this article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, the helplines are listed below.
Quick answer
The Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 was a one-day event held on 14 October 2026 at The Met in Bury, organised by The Big Fandango. It focused on suicide prevention for children and young people, including schools, online safety, neurodiversity and bereavement support. GLP Solicitors supported and took part. If you need support now, call Samaritans free on 116 123.
In this article
- Where to get support now
- What the Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 was
- Why the focus was on children and young people
- What the programme covered
- Why GLP Solicitors supported the conference
- Starting a safe conversation
- How GLP Solicitors can help
Key takeaways
- The Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 was held on 14 October 2026 at The Met, Bury, and organised by The Big Fandango.
- Its theme was “We’re In This Together”, with a focus on children and young people.
- Topics included school provision, community support, online safety, neurodiversity and bereavement support.
- Speakers came from across the UK, including Dr Nina Jo Smith, Mike Palmer, Pat Sowa (Griffin), Kate Edwards, Caroline Roodhouse, Russ Magnall, and representatives from Barnardo’s.
- The day also included a performance piece about safe conversations with younger children.
- GLP Solicitors supported and took part in the conference. We are solicitors, not a mental health service.
- Free, confidential support is available 24 hours a day, including Samaritans on 116 123.
Where to get support now
If you are worried about your own safety, or someone else’s, please reach out now. These services are free and confidential:
- In an emergency, or if someone is in immediate danger: call 999.
- Samaritans: call 116 123, any time, day or night.
- Shout: text SHOUT to 85258, any time, day or night.
- Childline: young people can call 0800 1111, any time, day or night.
You do not need to wait until things feel serious enough to get in touch.
What was the Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026?
The Bury Suicide Prevention Conference is a one-day event organised by The Big Fandango, a Bury organisation. It follows Bury’s first suicide prevention conference, held in 2025. The theme is “We’re In This Together”, and the stated aim is to help create suicide safer communities for the next generation.
This year’s conference looked at suicide prevention among children and young people. The organisers described it as a day of connection, learning and sharing ideas.
Event details
- Event: Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026
- Date: 14 October 2026, 9.00am to 5.00pm
- Venue: The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW
- Organiser: The Big Fandango
- Supported by: GLP Solicitors
Why focus on children and young people?
Preventing suicide is not the job of one service or one profession. For a child or young person, it involves schools, families, friends, community groups, online spaces and health services, often all at once.
That is why this year’s programme looked at the whole picture, from the classroom to online life to support after a bereavement.
What the programme covered
The line-up brought together people from across the UK, each looking at a different part of the issue.
Suicide prevention in schools
Dr Nina Jo Smith, Mike Palmer and Pat Sowa (Griffin) all work and campaign to get suicide prevention and support into classrooms.
Online safety
Kate Edwards spoke about online safety. For many young people, life online is part of everyday life.
Bereavement support from children
Caroline Roodhouse MCIPR, APRP spoke about suicide bereavement support among children. Children who have lost someone need support that is open, honest and suited to their age.
Resilience and lived experience
Russ Magnall shared his story and what it shows about resilience.
Grassroots prevention and safe spaces
The organisers also spoke about suicide prevention from a grassroots perspective, and about why safe spaces matter in local communities.
A performance on safe conversations
The day included a performance piece about safe conversations with younger children.
Why GLP Solicitors supported the conference
GLP Solicitors has offices in Bury, Prestwich and Pendlebury, and the people who live and work here are our clients, colleagues and neighbours. We supported the conference to back The Big Fandango and the people working on suicide prevention in our community.
We want to be clear about our role. We are a law firm, not a mental health service. The expertise at this conference belonged to the organisers, speakers and local organisations.
Starting a safe conversation
Many people worry about saying the wrong thing. Charities such as Samaritans generally encourage a few simple starting points:
- Listen without judging or rushing to fix things.
- Ask directly if you are worried that someone is thinking about suicide. Asking does not put the idea in their head.
- Take them seriously, and stay calm.
- Help them reach support, such as the services listed above or their GP.
- Look after yourself too. Supporting someone is hard, and you do not have to do it alone.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
How GLP Solicitors can help
Our work is legal, not clinical, but we understand that losing a loved one through a violent crime can bring emotional and practical challenges. Our Criminal Injuries team can help guide eligible families through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) process, including fatal injury claims.
Our Private Client team can also support families with the legal matters that may follow a bereavement, including probate and estate administration.
We explain each step in plain language, with care and understanding. If you are not ready to talk yet, that is absolutely fine. You can contact us whenever the time feels right.
GLP Solicitors provides legal services and is not a mental health or crisis support service.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bury Suicide Prevention Conference 2026 is a one-day event organised by The Big Fandango. It was held at The Met in Bury on 14 October 2026, with the theme “We’re In This Together”. This year it focused on suicide prevention among children and young people, covering school provision, community support, online safety, neurodiversity and bereavement support. GLP Solicitors supported and took part in the event.
The conference took place on 14 October 2026, from 9.00am to 5.00pm, at The Met on Market Street in Bury (BL9 0BW). It was organised by The Big Fandango, a Bury organisation. It follows Bury’s first suicide prevention conference, which was held in 2025. You can find out about future events through The Big Fandango’s website.
The programme focused on suicide prevention for children and young people. It included sessions on suicide prevention in schools, online safety, neurodiversity, bereavement support for children, resilience, grassroots prevention and the need for safe spaces. There was also a performance piece about safe conversations with younger children. Speakers came from across the UK, and the day was designed for connection, learning and sharing ideas.
Listen without judging, stay calm and take what they say seriously. If you are worried, ask them directly whether they are thinking about suicide. Asking does not make it more likely. Help them reach support, such as their GP, Childline on 0800 1111. If they are in immediate danger, call 999. You do not need to have all the answers to be helpful.
Samaritans (116 123) and Shout (text SHOUT to 85258) are free and open 24 hours a day. Young people can also call Childline on 0800 1111. In an emergency, or if someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Their GP or school can also help.