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8 September 2026
A note for everyone who sponsored my Papyrus fundraising Hopewalk
Over the summer, a number of you kindly sponsored me when I raised money for Papyrus, the national youth suicide prevention charity. Between us, we gave £1,268. I am very grateful to everyone who contributed.
I am sorry to have to pass on sad news. On 7 September 2026 Papyrus was placed into administration and has closed. Its helpline – HOPELINE247 stopped operating immediately.
What happened to the money you gave
I don't yet know, and I would rather say so than guess. The administrators, Opus Restructuring LLP, have said they are reviewing the funds the charity currently holds, to establish how and for what purposes they are held and whether any of it is ringfenced for a particular purpose. Until they report, nobody outside that process knows what remains (ref).
What I can say is that charities of this kind generally pay for the current month's work out of current donations rather than holding large reserves. So it seems likely that most of what we gave went into running the helpline while it was still answering calls. If some of it is still held, and is found to have been given for a specific purpose rather than to the charity generally, it may be possible for it to pass to another organisation doing similar work. I intend to ask the administrators and will report back.
Why the charity closed
The trustees say that after nearly two years of trying to keep Papyrus going, through changes to its operating model, cost reductions, and attempts to transfer its services to other organisations, they concluded there was no alternative. They point to rising demand, higher operating costs, and a fall in reliable funding across the charity sector.
HOPELINE247 was widely used by NHS trusts and by children's and adolescent mental health services, who referred young people to it. It was never funded by them.
If you or someone you know needs support
HOPELINE247 is no longer available. These services are:
*Samaritans* — call 116 123, free, 24 hours a day
*Shout* — text SHOUT to 85258, free, 24 hours a day
*NHS 111* — for urgent mental health support
*In an emergency* — call 999 or go to A&E
What happens next
I have written to our MP, George Freeman, asking what provision is being made for the young people and families who were relying on this service, and whether the government will fund a replacement. I will post any reply here as well as any feedback from the administrators.
Thank you again for your generosity.Â
Jeff
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