Shoes painted blue to highlight scale of domestic abuse-related suicide

Fylde Coast Women’s Aid (FCWA) has painted 150 pairs of shoes in the colour blue, which will take centre stage in Blackpool’s St John’s Square next week. The installation represents the number of domestic abuse victims in the UK who are feared to have been driven to suicide by their partners.

The exhibition, organised by Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, forms part of a wider event aimed at raising awareness of domestic abuse-related suicides and how further tragedies can be prevented. The colour blue has been chosen to symbolise sadness, reflecting the phrase “feeling blue,”.

The display follows data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in April, which shows that 150 people are suspected to have taken their own lives in the year to March 2025 – an increase from 98 in the previous 12 months. Children’s shoes will also be included to symbolise the lives of those left behind.

Tracey Baker, Outreach Worker at FCWA, said:

“There has been a significant rise in the number of people experiencing domestic abuse who have taken their own lives. Sadly, more must be done to ensure victims receive the support and protection they need before it is too late.

“FCWA supports people affected by domestic abuse, stalking and related harms across Fylde, helping them to rebuild independent lives free from abuse. When the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner approached us to support this campaign by painting the shoes blue, we were pleased to help raise awareness of this growing, but often hidden, issue.”

Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said:

“We are grateful to FCWA for their support in creating this powerful exhibition, which provides a visual representation of the scale of this crisis.

“The Blue Shoe Exhibit commemorates each of the 150 suspected suicides linked to domestic abuse in 2025, while also reminding us of the children and families affected by these devastating losses.

“One hundred and fifty deaths is a shocking figure. It represents an increase of over a third compared to the previous year, and behind every number is a real person – a life and a story that must be heard.

“This exhibition is about remembering these individuals, not as statistics, but as people whose lives mattered.”

The exhibition will take place between 8.30am and 4.30pm in St John’s Square, Blackpool on Friday 10th July 2026.