1997
Top single: Something About the Way You Look Tonight, Elton John
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
The Department of Health launch the CALM helpline in Manchester, marking the start of our stand against suicide.
Over two decades of being there,
no matter what
125 people a week die by suicide, CALM exists to change that. CALM’s been shouting about suicide prevention since 1997, when our life-saving helpline launched. Originally set up as an NHS pilot, the helpline started out in Merseyside, CALM’s became a national charity in 2006, meaning we could support people who needed us across the country.
We’ve come a long way since then, with momentous campaigns and calls for change, here’s just some of the stuff we’ve got up to.
2000
Top single: Can we fix it? Bob the Builder
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
We branch out, with services stretching to Merseyside, Cumbria, Luton and Bedfordshire.
2006 - 2007
Top single: Crazy, Gnarls Barkley
Premier League Champion: Chelsea FC
CALM makes the grade, launching as a national charity. Our aim? To reach young men struggling with their mental wellbeing, offering support and helping people find a reason to stay.
Things get funny when we host our first comedy night at Clapham Grand. This is just the start of our collabs with comedians, using humour to get through to guys about mental health.
2007 - 2008
Top single: Hallelujah, Alexandra Burke
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
We pitch the idea to Comic Relief for an online/texting service, in a bid to reach more young men. Getting our best techies on the job, we launch the webchat service.
Rocking up at Pentonville Prison, Wasted Youth, Dirty Pretty Things and The Enemy play a gig to raise awareness of male suicide.
CALM starts working with the NHS in Merseyside, helping them signpost the community to our life-saving services.
2008 - 2009
Top single: Poker Face, Lady Gaga
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
We open our first proper office space!
2010 - 2011
Top single: Love The Way You Lie, Eminem featuring Rihanna
Premier League Champion: Chelsea FC
Awareness of the helpline is growing - we pick up 13,000 calls this year.
“Just visiting your website gave me a sense that I wasn’t alone or unusual.”
“Feeling unhappy is one of the most isolating feelings. CALM helps rebuild and stop tragic endings to wonderful beginnings”
Making a zine - we launch Reset, a free mag in Topman featuring famous faces and features focused on the reset moments which have driven people to turn their lives round.
2011 - 2012
Top single: Someone Like You, Adele
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
The CALM website is shortlisted for a Mind Media award.
Thirty One Songs is released, starring Mancunian musicians like Noel Gallagher Elbow and Everything Everything and raising a sweet 20k to help us be there no matter what.
Billboards roll out across inner London, featuring actor Ashley Walters, Fonejacker’s Kayvan Novak and rapper Scroobius Pip - shining a light on the message “Silence is killing us”.
2012 - 2013
Top single: Somebody That I Used to Know, Gotye featuring Kimbra
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
CALM receive a pat on the back, winning a Guardian Charity Award.
“I can relate to the feeling of believing you’re helpless or useless, and alone no matter how surrounded you are. What I’ve seen, and admire, in CALM is the ability to put words to those feelings and demonstrate that it’s just a feeling, and nothing more.”
This year in numbers? 28,930 helpline calls were answered, donations tripled since 2011 and we make the decision to extend our services from 4-7 days a week.
2013 - 2014
Top single: Happy, Pharrell Williams
Premier League Champion: Manchester United
The King’s Fund present CALM with a GSK Impact Award.
We join thousands of glittered and feathered festival goers at Secret Garden Party, inviting people to join us for a cuppa, share their thoughts on our Wall of Secrets and talk to the team.
Read all about it - CALM are mentioned in Marie Clare in a feature on male suicide.
Year of the male - We put together a charter signed by key figures in the men’s movement, calling for change in how men are shown in the media.
2015 - 2016
Top single: Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Premier League Champion: Chelsea FC
We continue to be there, answering 55,946 helpline calls this year.
A cause close to rapper Professor Green’s heart, he makes an appeal on our behalf in a film for the BBC.
CEO Jane Powell leaves CALM.
2016 - 2017
Top single: Shape of You, Ed Sheeran
Premier League Champion: Leicester City
Simon Gunning joins as our new CEO.
Our helpline is awarded the prestigious Helpline Partnership Standard Award.
As part of Red Nose Day, the BBC broadcast a film featuring a real webchat to illustrate how CALM’s services can help.
We’re featured in the Royal Foundation’s Heads Together campaign where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry look to change the conversation on mental health.
Manyourlocal - CALM beer mats appear in pubs, clubs and cafes to encourage men to chat to their mates about how they’re feeling.
2018 - 2019
Top single: Someone You Loved, Lewis Capaldi
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
Open to all - the decision was made to ensure our services support everybody no matter what, regardless of gender, background or age.
After gathering 400,000 signatures on a petition supported by CALM, the government appoint the first ever Minister For Suicide Prevention. A big step in the right direction.
We like making new friends - partnering with TV channel Dave, the #BeTheMateYoudWant campaign airs ads asking people to check in on their mates.
The helpline and webchat continues to support those struggling, answering 95,167 calls.
2019 - 2020
Top single: Blinding Lights, The Weeknd
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
A weird year - pandemic lockdowns and restrictions took their toll, but CALM was there to support you through this strange time.
People continue to reach out to CALM, this year answering 134,982 calls and webchats.
CALM now has a whole host of incredible ambassadors, including Shirley Ballas, Lewis Capaldi, Rio Ferdinand, Professor Green, Romesh Ranganathan and more.
We directly prevented 646 suicides.
CALM launch the Lost Hours Walk, where 1,000 supporters walk against suicide.
Teaming up with SEAT, we stick a giant pair of ears on the side of a building to prompt people to “Grow a Pair” and listen to their mates when they’re finding things tough.
“CALM reaches people in an accessible way by communicating through cultural channels like sport, music, comedy and fashion. We've found this non-clinical approach lowers the barrier to what is traditionally regarded as a difficult subject to engage in. As an issue, suicide affects everyone and we all have a role to play in making positive change across society.”
Simon Gunning, CALM CEO