The Jac Lewis Foundation have supported over 900 individuals bereaved or affected by suicide since 2021.

Our Wales Bereavement Through Suicide Support Service is guided by the Bereavement Service Standards and has given us a wealth of experience and knowledge in supporting those that have been bereaved through suicide.

The delivery of these services has developed JLF’s knowledge and understanding of what people affected through suicide need and this has fed into how we have developed the National Advisory and Liaison service. The services we provide are people led and values based. Individuals referred into the service are asked for feedback on the services they have accessed to inform service development and delivery.

Meet the team

The Jac Lewis Foundation has team of psychological therapists that are experienced in working with those affected by suicide and include, play therapists, child and adolescent therapists, family therapists, counsellors, cognitive behaviour therapists and EMDR therapists.

All therapists are fully qualified, DBS checked and receive monthly clinical supervision.

Clement Williams

National Advisory and Liaison Service Co-ordinator

I have worked in the third sector for over 6 years in a wide variety of roles, ranging from mental health support to specialist suicide bereavement support.

Having delivered specialist suicide bereavement support in England for over 3 years, I helped create a postvention service offering both emotional and practical support. I then joined NALS in March of 2025.

I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting those bereaved by suicide. I recognise the needs of those bereaved by suicide, my skills allow me to foster resilience and create compassionate spaces for healing and growth. I bring a specialist knowledge of the practical challenges people face, such as navigating the coroner’s, police & financial issues people face following a death.

I strive towards making sure that people have access to the support they need, in a time where life can feel incredibly difficult.

Deborah Owen

National Advisory and Liaison Service Administrator

I joined the NALS team from a background within NHS Primary Care, where I was Practice Secretary for a GP surgery in the Swansea Bay Cluster.

During my 12 years at the surgery, I gained invaluable insight and experience in relation to the processes and resources available and the difficulties that can impact the delivery of services to those in need of support.

I aim to help alleviate and produce accessibility and a resourceful service that is available throughout Wales.

Hayley Smith

National Advisory and Liaison Service Officer

I joined the NALS Team in May 2026 at the beginning of the service’s third year and was immediately made to feel welcome by colleagues across the team. I am proud to be part of a service that provides vital support to individuals, families and communities affected by suicide. The work we do is both meaningful and essential, helping people navigate the complex emotions, challenges and practical realities that can follow a suicide death.

I bring several years of counselling experience to my role, including supporting individuals bereaved by suicide. My aim is to provide compassionate, person-centred support that helps people feel heard, understood and empowered as they navigate their grief journey.

Before entering the counselling profession, I spent nine years working as a Support Worker with disabled and vulnerable adults, promoting independence and supporting people within their home environments. In 2017, I made the decision to return to education and began evening college classes in preparation for studying counselling at degree level. After five years of balancing family life, work and study, I graduated in 2024 as a Pluralistic Counsellor.

Alongside my studies, I volunteered with the Samaritans for two years, gaining valuable experience in providing emotional support to people experiencing distress. During my counselling training, I completed placements with the Jac Lewis Foundation, where I developed experience supporting those affected by bereavement and loss. Following qualification, I established a private practice and continued my work with the Jac Lewis Foundation, while also providing online counselling for students through the University of Exeter.

Prior to joining NALS, I already had an awareness of the service and the importance of suicide bereavement support. I am incredibly proud to be part of the NALS team and committed to supporting people across Wales who have been affected by suicide, ensuring they receive compassionate, timely and meaningful support during some of the most difficult times in their lives.

Debbie Evans

National Advisory and Liaison Service Volunteer

Having been a Magistrates’ Legal Adviser for some 25 years, I had a lot of experience in all areas of the legal system – criminal law, traffic law, family law and non-Crown Prosecution law.

I was then fortunate enough to work as a Coroner’s assistant covering Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, liaising with the police, medical professionals, undertakers and the grieving families. I gave evidence on behalf of the Coroner at inquests, and, most importantly, was able to deal with families throughout the process; this was the most rewarding job.

Being a qualified solicitor, I thereafter went into private practice dealing with all general legal cases. It was during this time I decided to leave the legal system and try different things.

I completed many diplomas, one being Wedding and Event Planning, which was really intense but so satisfactory. I then was interested in completing the Mental Health, the CBT, Drug and Alcohol Addiction and many other diplomas – all of which have become extremely useful during my careers.

I reached out to the Jac Lewis Foundation a few months ago because I wanted to give back into Society. I have witnessed the grief first hand following a suicide and felt that I really wanted to help in some way. I now volunteer with the National Advisory and Liaison Service and am extremely grateful for being able to contribute to such a worthy cause. This post is simply so rewarding, and it is a privilege to be a part of this team.

To enjoy life, I paint, draw – something I did prior to my Law Degree. I attend at various art events and just paint commissions as and when I am asked.

I enjoy walking, reading and spending time with my family and a small close group of friends.

How We’ve Helped

900

supported individuals affected by suicide.

800

individuals in the last twelve months who have self-referred into the service.

4,500

individuals supported since the foundation started in 2019.

Feedback

Here is just some of the feedback we’ve received from beneficiaries.

“I was rung like a bolt from the blue, it was like a guiding angel, it was a nice to speak to someone who understood.”

“Not sure if I could have functioned without the service back then.”

“The support has been a lifeline, keeping us afloat when it would have been so easy to have been submerged.”

Contact us for help

The National Advisory and Liaison Service (NALS) is a free, confidential, emotional and practical support service for anyone in Wales affected by suicide.

About Us