Blackburn with Darwen to mark World Suicide Prevention Day with a special vigil and a community walk

People in Blackburn and Darwen are invited to come together on Tuesday, September 10 to give hope, raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide, to help people feel supported and heard to reduce instances of suicide in our borough.

The event will start with a walk of hope – Walking the Walk to prevent suicide – through Darwen to Blackburn, starting at 10.15am at the statue of the falcon in Darwen Market Square and heading towards Blackburn Rovers Football Club where walkers will be able to take a pitch-side photo and walk past.

Walkers will then head on to Blackburn town centre to join people at the vigil which starts at 12.30pm outside Blackburn Town Hall. The walk and vigil will feature banners with messages of hope and support designed by local groups.

The vigil will feature local speakers and the lighting of the special candle, to symbolise hope and the community around suicide prevention.

A major part of the vigil will include a 40 seconds silence to signify that one person dies of suicide around the world every 40 seconds.

The vigil is being supported by a host of local and regional organisations to support people affected by suicide and working to remove the stigma of suicide and mental health difficulties.

An information and awareness marketplace will also be outside the town hall from 11.30am on the day, featuring stalls from: Carers Service, NHS Talking Therapies, ReAlign Futures, Adult Learning / Speak Their Name, East Lancashire Hospice, Samaritans, Blackburn Foodbank, Bags for Strife, Offload Charity, Kooth, Nightsafe, Youth Action, Child Action North West, Lancashire Mind, IMO Charity, Shad Chefs Women’s Hub,

The vigils are open to everyone in the borough and are a main part of ongoing programmes, events and activities to raise awareness of suicide prevention in the borough and to help people find ways to support their loved ones, friends, family and colleagues who may be having mental health issues or suicidal thoughts.

The vigil will also pay tribute to those in our communities who have completed a Suicide Prevention Course. These members of the community can be recognised by their Orange Buttons – Mental Health Training for Adults – Be Well BWD

The Orange Button scheme is a way of showing others in your community who are having thoughts of suicide, or are worried about somebody else, that you are comfortable to say or hear the word suicide, can listen without judgement and you can inform people where to find help and support.

There is also SafeTALK (Suicide Alertness for Everyone) suicide intervention training sessions available, open to everyone. These sessions are specifically aimed at increasing the awareness about the importance of a suicide intervention conversation and giving people confidence to have those conversations and to be able to help those around them and access appropriate professional help. Completion of this session would entitle you to an Orange Button.

For more information, please see the Public Health Website with the links to the providers at: https://bewellbwd.com/https-bewellbwd-com-category-news/world-suicide-prevention-day-2023/. All courses are open to residents within Blackburn with Darwen, and those who work, volunteer or are in education in the borough.

Councillor Brian Taylor, Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen and chair of the Suicide Prevention Group and an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention, said:

I have been a mental health and suicide prevention advocate for a long time now, as I have lost two close relatives to suicide so this is very important to me and is a subject very close to my heart.

The World Suicide Prevention Day vigil is a wonderful way to come together and support each other, and to help people become more comfortable talking about mental health and suicide. If we can talk to each other and support people who are struggling, we can make a big difference.

The courses available in Blackburn and Darwen are wonderful, they are incredibly informative and useful in terms of being able to feel more comfortable talking people who may be struggling or at risk.”

Please follow our Council social media channels on the day, Tuesday, September 10, and join us in using the hashtags #WSP2024 and #BWDWSP2024 to help make your voice heard.