The Odyssey Trust is pleased to announce PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity and Dementia NI as its two official charity partners for 2027, continuing the organisation’s commitment to supporting local charities that make a meaningful difference to people and communities across Northern Ireland.

Comprised of The O2 Belfast, the Belfast Giants, W5 Science & Discovery Centre, and W5 LIFE, The Odyssey Trust is the charity that was established to oversee the investment in and management of Northern Ireland’s Landmark Millennium Project. Guided by its charitable objectives of improving social welfare and life opportunities for all the people of Northern Ireland, The Odyssey Trust will work closely with PIPS Charity and Dementia NI to raise essential funds and awareness through a programme of initiatives and activities across its venues, teams, and wider organisation.

Laura Small, Relationship & Business Development Manager at The Odyssey Trust, said: “Supporting people and communities across Northern Ireland is central to The Odyssey Trust’s charitable purpose, and we are incredibly proud to welcome PIPS Charity and Dementia NI as our charity partners for 2027.

“Both organisations provide invaluable support and are helping to make a real difference to people’s lives every day. Through these partnerships, we have an opportunity to use the reach of The Odyssey Trust to raise awareness of their work, support vital fundraising, and help connect even more people with the services and support available to them. We are looking forward to working alongside both charities and their teams throughout 2027.”

PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity provides free, confidential counselling and crisis support to people experiencing suicidal thoughts, mental ill-health, or emotional distress, as well as supporting families, friends, and those bereaved by suicide

With regional offices in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, and the South West, PIPS Charity operates without postcode barriers, allowing people to access its services regardless of where they live in Northern Ireland. Its frontline services include free counselling and crisis support, alongside a dedicated Weekend Crisis Hopeline, providing regional overnight telephone support for people experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis across Northern Ireland.

Available every Friday from 9pm until 10am and Sunday from 9pm until 9am, the Weekend Crisis Hopeline 028 9080 5850 (freephone 0800 088 6042) is delivered by trained crisis practitioners who provide compassionate listening, emotional support, safety planning, and guidance to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, distress, or in emotional crisis.

Through its partnership with The Odyssey Trust, PIPS Charity will seek to reach more people with an important message – that help is available, and no should have to face a crisis alone – while raising vital funds to help keep its services free and accessible to those who need them.

Renee Quinn, Chief Executive Officer of PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity, commented:

“We’re incredibly grateful to The Odyssey Trust for choosing to partner with PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity. Their commitment to supporting mental health and suicide prevention sends a powerful message that this is a cause that belongs to all of us. No one organisation can prevent suicide alone. It takes charities, businesses, and communities working together to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and make sure people know where to turn when they need support.

“I want to thank everyone at The Odyssey Trust for believing in the work of PIPS Charity, and for standing alongside us. We look forward to building a partnership that not only raises vital funds but also helps to start conversations that could save lives.”

Dementia NI works across Northern Ireland alongside people in the early to mid-stages of dementia, providing vital peer support following a diagnosis and empowering people living with dementia to live well, have their voices heard, and remain active within their communities.

Through its Empowerment Groups, Dementia NI brings together people living with dementia to share experiences, build confidence, and connect with others who understand their experience. The charity also campaigns for positive change and works to challenge the stigma and misconceptions that continue to exist around dementia.

Karen Kerr, Head of Engagement at Dementia NI, added:

“We’re delighted to be partnering with The Odyssey Trust and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a well-loved organisation in Northern Ireland. This partnership will help us raise vital funds to support people living with dementia, while also giving us a fantastic platform to increase awareness, challenge stigma, and change perceptions around dementia.

“The support of The Odyssey Trust and the wider community will help Dementia NI continue to provide invaluable peer support and empowerment to people living with dementia and their families. We’re really looking forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring and seeing the local community come together to make a real difference.”

For more information about The Odyssey Trust, please click here.