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Why Stories Matter: TLTR
On Storytelling & Suicide Prevention: A Single Page Churchill Fellowship Report Summary.
Overview of research
I'm Kane Dodgson—artist, writer, therapist, and survivor from Blackpool. Through my Churchill Fellowship, I set out to see how storytelling can transform mental health and suicide prevention. The need is urgent: in 2023, 7,055 people in the UK died by suicide, costing the country about £118 billion. Most weren't connected to mental health services. My research focused on reaching those who fall through the cracks. I travelled to Philadelphia, Ithaca, and New York City to learn from projects like Mural Arts Philadelphia's Porch Light, Story House Ithaca, and The Strangers Project. I witnessed how peer-led storytelling, expressive writing, and public art help cut through isolation, reduce suicide and build trust—things statistics just can't capture. For support to be truly person-centred, it must first become story-centred.
Key Learnings
Stories aren’t just words—they shape what happens next. They can trigger more harm (the Werther Effect) or inspire survival (the Papageno Effect).
Belonging is biological. Stories spark trust on a chemical level, helping people feel less alone by syncing up the minds of speaker and listener.
Art and writing matter. Expressive writing and public murals calm the brain, break down stigma, and build real connection—all at minimal cost.
People hold the answers. Spaces open to anyone—no waiting lists or labels—let us share and learn from each other's lived experiences. These stories offer insight into what helps people move past crisis.
Seven Recommendations for the UK
Put lived experience at the top. Survivors should co-design and be placed in positions of leadership in mental health and suicide prevention programmes from day one, with funding and support to match.
Build a national network of non-clinical Community Story Spaces. No referrals, no waiting—just places for people to connect early. A place to share and learn survival and recovery tools, learn how to rewrite their stories and contribute to public story galleries.
Make public art part of prevention. Launch a UK version of Philadelphia Mural Arts Porch Light Initiative to bring community-created art to areas most at risk. A free resource is available for local authorities to implement this directly from Philadelphia Mural Arts.
Equip everyone. Add storytelling modules to gatekeeper training so both professionals and the public can reach those outside the system, facilitate strength-based storytelling, and provide story-centric support
Use waiting list time wisely. Give expressive writing resources along with opportunities to participate in storytelling sessions to everyone on NHS mental health waiting lists—don’t let that time go to waste.
Connect stroke and suicide recovery. Integrate peer-led storytelling and support the creation and sharing of self-created mental health recovery toolkits. To explore the connections between stroke and suicide risk and incorporate this into stroke policy and training.
Create living galleries. Start a nationwide movement for storytelling art spaces—honest stories captured in creative spaces, shared live and online. Build toolkits so survival strategies become collective strength.
Further Information
dodgsonkane@gmail.com
"Sometimes I think that the purpose of life is to leave our mark on the world, if only in the hearts of others. Sharing stories does that. It whispers that we exist, that our lives matter."
Kane Dodgson
Churchill Fellow 2023
Blackpool, UK
Copyright © 2026 Kane Dodgson. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners.
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