Parents of Cornish student who took his own life launch 'Harry's Law' petition
Harry Armstrong Evans was a third-year student at the University of Exeter
Last updated 17th Nov 2022
The parents of a Cornish student who took his own life have launched a parliamentary petition to try and stop other families experiencing grief like theirs.
21-year-old Harry Armstrong Evans was a third-year Physics and Astrophysics student at the University of Exeter. He died in June 2021 at his home in Launceston.
Alice and Rupert Armstrong Evans are now calling on the Government to adopt a new piece of legislation, making it a requirement for universities to publish annually, their student suicide rates.
'Harry’s Law' - as it's being called - would mean:
- Coroners would inform universities when the suicide of an enrolled student is registered
- Universities would publish annually the suicide rate of enrolled students
- There would be new powers to place universities into ‘special measures’ where suicide rates exceed that of the national average.
At Harry's inquest in October, the coroner made a number of recommendations to the University - including reviewing the provision of suicide training for staff, and reviewing its suicide training response.
In response, Mike Shore-Nye - Registrar at the University of Exeter - said, “We are deeply saddened by Harry’s death and the family's loss. Everyone who knew Harry is devastated by his suicide at home during the Covid19 pandemic.
"We continually review and improve the wellbeing support we provide based on evidence and learnings, including from tragic cases such as Harry’s. We will consider the Coroner’s detailed conclusions in this case and make sure we learn the lessons to enhance our support and operations further, specifically in the areas recommended by the Coroner."