Arts professional and presenter of BBC1 ‘Life After Suicide’
Angela presented the BBC1 BAFTA nominated and winner of the Mind Media Award for Best Factual TV documentary, ‘Life After Suicide’. The film encouraged discussion and exploration of mental health issues, challenging the stigma of suicide. Describing her own experience and that of her children after her partner took his own life 15 years ago, Angela travelled the length and breadth of the UK talking to others who had experienced the same loss. The documentary was aired as part of the BBC’s Mental Health Season #InTheMind and was watched world-wide by over 5 million viewers
Angela represents the views of those bereaved by suicide and was for 4 years, Chair, and is now Ambassador, of the Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide, a nationwide charity offering a unique and distinct free service with online, face to face and telephone support to bereaved adults across the UK. Under her Chairmanship and together with a 10-strong Board and 150 volunteers, the number of support groups doubled, with over 60 free support groups currently throughout the UK, offering support to over 7,000 people bereaved by suicide each year. Angela is also an invited attendee of the All Party Parliamentary Group looking at Suicide Prevention in England and Wales.
Co-author of the NHS70 Parliamentary Award winning #SeeSaySignpost training, which has to date been accessed by 250,000 people globally, her charity work, together with the making of the documentary was recognised as Angela was named as the Merseyside Woman of the Year 2016 and awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Liverpool John Moores University.
As an Arts professional for over a decade, Angela lead the John Moores Painting Prize at the Walker Art Gallery and continues to work freelance with individual artists and arts organisations, while also speaking publicly about mental health issues.
Often her work in Mental Health and the Arts come together and in 2018 she completed a Winston Churchill Fellowship to the USA and Japan looking at both disciplines, visiting in patient units and arts studios in both countries.
Voluntary Board/ Membership Positions:
Patron, Support After Suicide Partnership
Patron, Merseyside Counselling and Therapy Centre
Director, GROW-Wellbeing CIS 2018 – present
Chair, Lemn Sissay Foundation 2017 – present
Vice-Chair, Chasing The Stigma 2016 – present
Trustee, Tate Liverpool Advisory and Fundraising Board 2017 – present
Trustee, Hospital Rooms – 2019
Ambassador of Survivors Of Bereavement By Suicide 2016 – present
Member of Cheshire & Merseyside Suicide Reduction Partnership Board 2015 – present
All Party Parliamentary Group on Suicide Reduction in England and Wales Invited Member 2009 – present
Director, Look Photography Festival 2014 – 2017
Trustee, Bluecoat Display Centre 2012 – 2017
Chair of Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide 2010 – 2014
Awards:
Honorary Fellow, Liverpool John Moores University 2018
Winston Churchill Fellow 2018
NHS 70 Parliamentary Award 2018
Merseyside Woman Of The Year 2016
BAFTA Nominee 2016
Mind Media Award 2016
angela samata 