Brief
Anti‑suicide advocate Lara Kynvin died by suicide after years of hidden struggles
The Portsmouth‑based campaigner died in November 2025, weeks after organising a local anti‑suicide event.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Lara Kynvin, a 57‑year‑old suicide‑prevention advocate, died by suicide at her home in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, on 14 November 2025, an inquest heard on 20 October 2026.
What happened
Kynvin, described as compassionate and hardworking, had organised an anti‑suicide event in Portsmouth seven weeks before her death. She was found dead at her Waterlooville residence. The coroner’s court heard she had been unable to disclose her suicidal thoughts to the charity she worked for, despite her public role.
What the report adds
The Daily Mail detailed Kynvin’s personal history: she first struggled with mental health during the 2020 Covid lockdown, made multiple suicide attempts, and was hospitalized in October 2023 for three months. After release she became involved with several charities, created a quilt for Speak Their Names, and served as an NHS mental‑health advisor. In 2024 she acted as a baton bearer for the Baton Of Hope charity in Brighton and later led the project’s rollout in Portsmouth.
What was said
Kynvin’s brother, Nick Kynvin, told Portsmouth Coroner’s Court: “Lara was particularly compassionate. She was driven,” and recounted a 2020 incident when she entered a lake to kill herself, was rescued, and felt embarrassed. He added that lockdown had a significant impact, leading to nine further attempts, including one that broke her ankle and caused chronic pain.
How it came about
Kynvin’s advocacy stemmed from her own mental‑health battles during the Covid lockdown. She later channeled her experience into public campaigns, including a quilt‑raising effort taken to Westminster and participation in the Baton Of Hope walks. Her death follows a pattern of mental‑health professionals struggling privately despite public advocacy, echoing broader concerns highlighted in recent Felo coverage of suicide‑related public‑safety issues, such as the UAE’s new suicide‑law amendments (see UAE law on suicide offences).
Key facts
- Lara Kynvin died by suicide on 14 November 2025 in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth. (dailymail.co.uk)
- She had organized an anti‑suicide event in Portsmouth seven weeks before her death. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Kynvin had multiple suicide attempts, including a 2020 lake incident and a broken ankle that caused chronic pain. (dailymail.co.uk)
- She worked as an NHS mental‑health advisor and led the Baton Of Hope project in Portsmouth. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Her brother Nick Kynvin testified at the coroner’s court about her compassion and hidden struggles. (dailymail.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2020-03-01 — Kynvin experienced mental‑health struggles during Covid lockdown and made a suicide attempt in a lake.
- 2023-10-01 — Admitted to a mental‑health hospital for three months.
- 2024-06-15 — Baton Of Hope baton‑bearer in Brighton.
- 2025-11-14 — Found dead at home in Waterlooville.
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “Anti-suicide advocate who was struggling took own life, inquest told”
