Heirlooms
Heirlooms is a powerful new short film created by Sticker Studios in partnership with Suicide&Co. This project explores the generational impact of suicide and the journeys of those who have been bereaved by suicide.
Heirlooms takes audiences on a deeply moving journey of grief, love, and redemption. The film shines a light on the possibility of breaking the cycle of suicide by seeking professional support; bringing a message of hope to those struggling with suicide loss.
The end messaging in the film delivers a profound message about suicide loss.
Our community is bigger than people initially think. In 2023, 6,069 people died by suicide in England and Wales (ONS) and for every person gone, there are said to be 135 people affected and 6 people directly bereaved. This means our target community is between 36,000 and 819,000 people each year, who are largely suffering in silence and are likely to need access to our services to rebuild their life around their grief.
Our community is at a higher risk of suicide and is in need of our support. Research shows that around 10% of individuals bereaved by suicide will attempt to take their own lives (UCL), and more than 1 in 3 will have suicidal thoughts (American Journal of Psychiatry).
Help us break the cycle.
About the film
Heirlooms is not just a film; it's a powerful statement on mental health and suicide awareness that will deeply resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, especially suicide loss.
Born from the lived experience of Executive Producer Will Castle, who lost his father to suicide in 2010, this is the first short film to showcase suicide loss through the lens of the bereaved.
The 7 minute film highlights the grief journey of a man dealing with the legacy of his father’s suicide, finding healing and support along the way.
Those who lose a loved one to suicide are at greater risk of experiencing suicidal ideation themselves, perpetuating cycles of grief and trauma. Generational trauma is a complex and often unseen part of suicide loss. The ripple effects of suicide can shape families for years to come.
With the right support from services, it’s possible to break the cycle and rebuild your life up around your grief. Everyone deserves to feel like they have permission to grieve—and to know they’re not alone.
In the UK over 800,000 people are newly bereaved by suicide each year. We know that there are hundreds of thousands of people struggling with their loss in silence and we want to speak directly to those people to provide them with a message of hope and encouragement to seek support. We hope this powerful film will touch those grieving and suffering in silence, and encourage those impacted by suicide loss to seek support.
We understand that watching Heirlooms may bring up complex emotions, especially if you or someone you know has been impacted by the themes explored in the film.
We’ve highlighted a range of our resources that provide practical advice, emotional guidance, and signposting to further support. Below, you’ll find an overview of some the themes in the film and the resources we feel might support you with each of them:
Resources
Considering Counselling
Alcohol and substance abuse
managing difficult conversations
Navigating suicide loss at work
Are you able to support our community?
Our life-changing services can help break the cycle today.
Our mission is clear: to democratise access to care for all who are suffering. But we need your help to do that! As a charity there are two levers that control our ability to support our community: funding and awareness, and both in tandem fuel our service growth. Please consider contributing to our mission today.
In need of immediate support?
We have collated a list of services that are there to support you, and you can also speak to our Support team between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday by calling 0800 054 8400.
Are you part of a football club?
Have you or your club been affected by suicide loss?
We deliver trainings to organisations and community groups to up-skill individuals in how to have better conversations about mental health, grief, and suicide loss.
On Wednesday the 12th of February we held a Premiere event to launch the film with over 250 people in London, below are some photos that capture the atmosphere of the night.
