July has seen Molly Rose Foundation convene a group of bereaved families and survivors joining forces to call for tough action against suicide forums.
You can learn more about Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms and its calls for stronger regulation in this newsletter.
And a reminder to all those runners; we will be selecting our London Marathon team at the end of August so if you are interested in joining, please register your interest via our webpage or get in touch if you already have your own place.
Remember if you need support, you can contact someone you trust for help. You are not alone and it is OK not to be OK.
This newsletter contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. If you need support text MRF to 85258 to message a trained volunteer.
Education, training and support
This month Year 6 pupils at Eastbrook School in Dagenham, Essex took part in an exceptional My Bag of Happiness session.
Participants were encouraged to speak about the things and actions which make them happy; with stroking cats, eating sweets and playing football leading the charge.
They took part in a ‘face gym’ workout, demonstrating different emotions, drew images of what happiness looked like to them and expressed positive phrases and words including fantastic, smiley, warm glow and nice feeling in my tummy.
Each child received a bag which they decorated with labels and stickers and inside they placed notes on which they wrote down memories, times and friends that have made them happy.
Denise Parker Skinner, Senior Mental Health and Safeguarding Lead said: “The children took their bags home with them so whenever they feel a bit sad or down they can reach inside the bag, pull out a memory that will cheer them up. We are very proud of our children for being so honest and open during the workshop.”
If you would like to host a session please email us at training@mollyrosefoundation.org and please scroll down to learn more about the My Bag of Happiness initiative.
Get involved
We are pleased to be able to offer a number of new events and opportunities to help you get involved with Molly Rose Foundation. You can run, walk, swim, cycle, push or come up with your own sponsored challenge and every penny you raise will help us stand up for and support children and young people in the UK so they can live safe, supported and happy lives.And whether you have your own place, or you’d like to apply for a charity place, you can join the Molly Rose Foundation TCS London Marathon (26 April 2026) team or Brighton Marathon (12 April 2026) team and help provide support and guidance for young people and raise awareness of preventable suicide.
Alternatively, you could dream up your own unique event from a sponsored haircut to a dog walk, game-a-thon or football tournament. Whatever you decide to do, get in touch and we’ll provide t-shirts and other materials to support you: supportercare@mollyrosefoundation.org
Raising awareness
This month Molly Rose Foundation convened a new group of bereaved families impacted by an online suicide forum to call on Ofcom to ensure the site is permanently removed from the UK.
The announcement of the group coincided with a Channel 4 documentary, Poisoned, which investigates the role the suicide forum played in connecting vulnerable people to a lethal poison.
Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms is also calling for stronger legislation to prevent similar sites from popping up and for reclassification of the poison to make it more difficult to acquire.
The forum which promotes a poison linked to at least 99 deaths in the UK is under investigation by the online regulator, leading the site to voluntarily remove itself from the country.
But campaigners are warning the site could return unless strong action is taken under the Online Safety Act to legally shut the forum down.
All the group members have lost young loved ones to the site or have been impacted personally by the harm it causes.
A statement from the group, said: “We know first-hand the fatal harm caused by this suicide forum which actively encourages vulnerable people to end their lives.
“We’ve come together to demand change and compel tech companies, regulators and Governments work together to prevent further tragedies.
“This must start with Ofcom legally closing down the site so it can never return to the UK and prey on more vulnerable young people.”
Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of Molly Rose Foundation, said: “It is criminal that this horrendous site exists to groom young people into suicide and Ofcom should act quickly and decisively to legally close it down.
“We need tougher legislation to stop a whack-a-mole of similar site popping up, better regulation of the lethal poison and Government action to protect people from these horrific and growing online threats.”
My Bag of Happiness
Suitable for children aged between 7-11, the My Bag of Happiness scheme supports PSHE lessons and encourages children to create and collect happy memories, enabling them to reflect upon these and gain strength when needed.
Feedback tells us this initiative is empowering for the children who take part and equips them with vital tools with which to express themselves.
This month we’re launching our classroom Bag of Happiness to collectively record the moments of laughter, joy, achievement, memorable moments and adventures throughout the term.
Invite pupils to collect memorabilia and record moments of joy that the class have enjoyed together.
At the end of each half term/term use circle time, carpet time or other ways to facilitate class discussion and sharing, dipping into the Bag of Happiness to recall the joy shared. This will see pupils and staff sent off on their breaks with a head full of happiness!
If you are a teacher or parent and would like to receive one or more of these Molly Rose Foundation-designed My Bag of Happiness packs please contact us via training@mollyrosefoundation.org to submit your request, letting us know the relevant information (including your name, address, contact details, number of packs required etc). Any additional background details you can provide us with about why you’d like one or more of these packs would also be appreciated.
Molly Rose Foundation staff are also available to run workshops using the packs and will happily come into schools in the London area to do this. Our trainers are DBS checked and are used to working with children in schools. To arrange a workshop please contact us at: training@mollyrosefoundation.org
Donations directly to the My Bag of Happiness initiative can be made here.
News
Ofcom’s Children’s Safety Codes came into force under the Online Safety Act on Friday July 25 and Molly Rose Foundation is deeply concerned they will not provide the substantial protection children need and will fail to prevent more young deaths like Molly Russell’s.
Chief Executive Andy Burrows said: “This should be a watershed moment for young people but instead we’ve been let down by a regulator that has chosen to prioritise the business needs of big tech over children’s safety.
“It is staggering that Ofcom recommends companies spend just £80,000 to tame the toxic algorithms that contributed to Molly Russell’s death. This lack of ambition and accountability will have been heard loud and clear in Silicon Valley.
“We now need a clear reset and leadership from the Prime Minister. That means nothing less than a new Online Safety Act that fixes this broken regime and firmly puts the balance back in favour of children.”
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Chair of Trustees Ian Russell appeared on Laura Kuenssberg responding to an interview with Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes, holding Ofcom and the Government to account for tougher rules and stronger laws. He said: “The sort of content that Molly was looking at this time 8 years ago that led to her death is still available online.”
Laura Kuenssberg also wrote an in-depth piece about the Online Safety Act and potential new measures, pointing out: “These new laws have been a very, very long time coming. And while Whitehall has been grinding along, technology and the kinds of experiences we all have online, has been racing ahead.”
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Meanwhile the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee published a report entitled Social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms, which Molly Rose Foundation submitted evidence to.
Chief Executive Andy Burrows responded: “This stark report highlights the urgency with which the government needs to act to strengthen online safety legislation to combat the substantial and growing impacts of online harms facing our society, communities and vulnerable people.
“Ofcom’s current measures to tackle algorithmic harm are wholly insufficient and won’t prevent children from continuing to be bombarded with dangerous content.
“It is abundantly clear that stronger legislation is needed and after a year of mulling his options action from the Prime Minister is now long overdue.”
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To see more MRF news and press releases, please visit our news section.
Support in crisis
This year so far, we have sent out 40,160 Where To Find Help cards in response to 130 requests. Since the charity began operating, we have distributed more than 235,000.
These popular pocked-sized help cards feature four different messages of reassurance and provide information signposting children and young people to mental health support services.
Some of our recent feedback: “Thank you for these wonderful cards, they are brilliant. We will supply them to our vulnerable pupils pre-school holidays so they know who they can contact if they need help.”
“I work with young people at risk of exploitation so these cards would be hugely beneficial in allowing them access to support and resources.”
We also welcome requests from universities, colleges and schools. If you are an individual with a connection to any of these, please get in touch.
Each box contains approximately 140 cards with a list of recommended organisations that can help in varying circumstances. On the reverse side you’ll find printed one of four different inspiring quotes.
If you require more than one box, please state how many in the comments section online and we will arrange delivery of any amount required.