Graffiti News

The charity Samaritans has taken its latest campaign onto the street. According to the Daily Express, in a report by Lucy Brimble published on 9 October 2026, Samaritans placed a series of graffiti-style quotes on pavements in Camden High Street and Whitfield Gardens in London using reverse graffiti. The campaign, called Interruptions, is part of the World Gold Council's partnership with Samaritans.

The Interruptions campaign asks people to check in on someone they are worried about

The Interruptions campaign is built around one small act: starting a conversation. According to the Daily Express, each quote on the pavement is based on the words of a person who says they were in a dark place and were helped by a timely intervention from someone else.

The campaign aims to show how a simple act of connection could help save a life. It encourages people to reach out to anyone they are concerned about, so that a conversation can interrupt suicidal thoughts. The Daily Express notes that research shows one in four people will experience suicidal thoughts in their lifetime. That makes it likely that someone reading the pavement messages knows a person who is struggling.

Reverse graffiti adds no paint to the street

Reverse graffiti is a technique that creates text or images by cleaning dirt and grime off a surface rather than adding paint or ink. The design shows up as the cleaner area against the darker, untouched surface around it. Because nothing is added, the result usually fades as the surface gets dirty again.

The Daily Express says only that the quotes were printed onto the pavements using reverse graffiti. The report does not describe the tools or process used.

For a campaign about noticing other people, the format fits. The words are made from the same pavement people walk on every day, and they reach whoever happens to look down.

Only one in 10 Brits feel comfortable stepping in, research suggests

Research commissioned by Samaritans found that only one in 10 Brits feel comfortable intervening when they are concerned about someone's wellbeing, according to the Daily Express. The same article reports these findings from a OnePoll.com study of 2,000 adults:

• 32% fear they would say the wrong thing.
• 29% regret not reaching out to someone in need.
• 85% believe a simple conversation can have a positive impact on someone who is struggling.
• 52% would like to see more awareness campaigns.

Most respondents think that talking helps, yet many hold back for fear of getting it wrong. The Interruptions campaign speaks directly to that hesitation.

Samaritans says there is no need to find the perfect words

Julie Bentley, chief executive of Samaritans, told the Daily Express that "suicidal thoughts can be interrupted". She said the campaign is meant to remind people, as they go about their daily lives, that a small interruption can make a big difference. Her advice to anyone who thinks someone might be struggling is not to worry about saying the perfect thing, and simply to ask whether they are OK, because that could be life-saving.

James Spake, Global Marketing Head for EMEA at the World Gold Council, said it can be hard to know what to say when we are worried about someone. He described the campaign as "an important reminder" that being there to show someone you care can make all the difference, and said the World Gold Council is proud to support Samaritans in sharing that message.

London street art carries messages to passers-by

Street art reaches people who never set out to look for it, which is why it is often used to carry public messages. A quote on a pavement meets people on their way to work, to the shops or home, without asking them to open a website or download an app. The Interruptions campaign uses that public setting for a message about looking out for one another.

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If you need support

If you are struggling, or worried about someone, you do not have to deal with it alone. In the UK and Ireland, you can contact Samaritans free on 116 123. Elsewhere, contact a local crisis line or emergency services.