Blue Shoes Exhibition To Mark World Suicide Prevention Day in Preston

A powerful exhibition is set to visit Preston Flag Market tomorrow, 10 September to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. 

Created by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, and Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), the Blue Shoes Exhibition is a visual installation representing lives lost to domestic abuse-related suicide.

Thanks to its impact and overwhelming support from the public, the exhibition, which was first shown in Blackpool, is now going on tour, with Preston City Council being first to host it in the city. Local domestic abuse service Safenet will also be supporting the event to offer advice and guidance on the day.

150 pairs of shoes, painted blue by Fylde Coast Women's Aid, will be on display in support of the campaign for Kiena's Law and to represent 150 suspected suicides linked to domestic abuse in 2025. The colour blue symbolises both feelings of depression, “feeling blue”, and the lasting impact of lives lost.

The exhibition and campaign for change follow the death of Kiena Dawes, a young mother from Lancashire who tragically took her own life in July 2022 after suffering prolonged domestic abuse. Her death drew widespread attention because it highlighted how domestic abuse can have devastating, long‑term effects, and raised questions about whether more could have been done to protect her.

Commissioner Grunshaw has been working with partners in Lancashire and beyond to strengthen understanding of domestic abuse-related suicide, improve responses and call for legislative change.

Commissioner Grunshaw said: "There is a clear link between domestic abuse and suicide, and World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to shine a light on this important issue.

"The public response to the Blue Shoes Exhibition and to our campaign for Kiena's Law has been truly overwhelming.

"Almost 44,000 people have already signed my petition supporting the call for Kiena's Law to ensure that the role of perpetrators is properly recognised where domestic abuse leads to suicide.

"By taking the exhibition on tour, we can continue to shine a light on this issue and strengthen the call for change.  

"Victims deserve proper and full recognition, families deserve answers, and perpetrators must be held accountable. Please come along to see the exhibition and sign the petition to support the call for change."

Councillor Zafar Coupland, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Neighbourhood Services, added:

“World Suicide Prevention Day is an important opportunity to remind people that they are enough, and that talking about difficult feelings, including suicidal thoughts, does not have to be scary.

“Those conversations can make a real difference. By taking the time to listen, show compassion and connect someone with support, we can help people to feel less alone.

“Across Preston, we are working with partners to improve understanding of suicide, reduce stigma and improve access to support. We want people to know that help is available and that every one of us can play a role in creating a more supportive, understanding and connected community.”

Frank Mullane MBE, CEO of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), said: “Domestic abuse suicides are a real scourge and testament to how utterly devastating domestic abuse can be.

"We teamed up with the Lancashire PCC, Clive Grunshaw, to start a petition to bring about law which would ensure perpetrators were properly held to account.

“The Blue Shoes Exhibition is a powerful tool to increase awareness and it's fantastic to see it go on tour in support of our calls for Kiena's Law."

The exhibition will be on display at Preston Flag Market from 11am to 2pm on Thursday, 10 September 2026. The petition for Kiena's Law can be found online at change.org/kienas-law.

Further dates and locations for the exhibition will be announced in the coming weeks.