Pearson partners with suicide prevention charity CALM

Pearson has announced that it will be supporting suicide prevention organisation Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), as its official charity partner.

Throughout the year, the partnership will see Pearson raise funds for the charity through its cycling events and work alongside CALM to create in-store panel discussions that bring the community together and support mental health through a shared love of cycling.

CALM stands united against suicide with everyone in the UK. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. CALM exists to change this by offering life-saving support, creating culture-changing campaigns, and by bringing people together across the country to reject living miserably.

They stand together with everyone struggling with life, no matter who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through. They challenge the stereotypes and stigma that prevent people from getting help.

For over 150 years the Pearson family has opened its doors to cyclists. Its South London store hosts events ranging from group gravel and road rides, to intimate in-store get-togethers.

Nicola Parkes, fundraising officer for CALM, said: “CALM and cycling have been pedaling side by side for a long time now. Cycling was one of the very first areas that we created our CALM Clubs around, bringing people together over shared passion points to encourage feeling safe, opening up, and seeking help.

“It’s about getting together, doing what you love and feeling better for it. Because human connection and being with people is important. Which is why we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Pearson Cycles in our fight against living miserably.

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“The connection between getting together for a bike ride, and suicide prevention may seem peculiar. Most people assume the only way to prevent suicide is with better access to clinical mental health services. But in reality, only one third of people dying by suicide contacted mental health services in the year before their death.

“CALM understands the most at risk groups in the UK are those less likely to engage with mental health services. So, it’s vital we reach people where they are, in a genuine and non-clinical way. And we can’t wait to do just that with the Pearson Cycles community.”