London Nightline's response to the closure of the Nightline Association

We are deeply saddened to hear the news that the Nightline Association (NLA) will close its doors on 30^th June 2025. As our membership body, the Nightline Association existed to support the development of individual Nightlines, ensuring good practice across our movement. As London Nightline, and the largest of the 27 Nightline services across the UK, we wanted to take this chance to thank the NLA for everything it has done for Nightlines and student mental health, and outline how this change impacts on London.

In 1970, Nightline was born from a conversation between three students – Marilyn Griffin, Maggie Barwick and Flick Mesger – in the ground floor flat of William Morris Tower at the University of Essex. With help from the university chaplain, Reverend Malcolm France, and Professor Geoffrey Hosking, who were both involved with the local Samaritans service, the first group of Nightline volunteers was trained in the principles of active listening and empathy.

Since 1971, London Nightline has been here to support the mental health and wellbeing of students in London. We have always been independent of the NLA. We are a registered charity with our own trustee board and different income streams. We are grateful for the spirit of collaboration and shared learning that the NLA has fostered within the Nightline movement across the UK and beyond during these past few years, and we will continue to support our sister services across the country as we transition to this new way of working together.

As members of the Helplines Partnership and NCVO, we will ensure our good practice accreditation continues to meet the expectations of the sector, and we will continue to work alongside our friends in Higher Education to make sure that any student in London can benefit from our non-judgemental listening services and our training. 

There are a range of exciting developments and plans coming up this year at London Nightline, which we look forward to sharing with you in due course. In the meantime please do get in touch if you would like to discuss anything further.