Beacons of green light will shine out across as landmarks across the area join the campaign to encourage us all to think about how we can support suicide prevention.
In Essex alone, in 2019, 111 people took their own life so from 5 -10 September, organisations, people and communities across Essex are lighting up buildings and landmarks green, the colour of the world suicide prevention campaign, as part of the ‘Creating hope through light’ event.
The ‘Creating hope through light’ week-long event, follows on from the success of the campaign last December in which venues lit up green to create beacons of hope. This year we want to raise even more awareness for suicide prevention and challenge Essex residents to take the FREE 20-minute suicide prevention training, which can be accessed at www.letstalkaboutsuicideessex.co.uk.
It’s a joint initiative from Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System and Thurrock and Brentwood Mind and is part of their #LetsTalkAboutSuicideEssex campaign. It’s aimed at reducing the stigma around talking about suicide and encourages people to take the free online suicide prevention training, as well as highlight other mental health resources available in mid and south Essex.
The suicide prevention training focuses on three key elements see, say, signpost. See the problem, say the words, signpost to support and it gives people the knowledge and the confidence to talk to someone who might be at risk of or thinking about suicide.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in the United Kingdom in men under 50. Suicide is a preventable and avoidable death.
Alfred Bandakpara-Taylor, Deputy Director Adult Mental Health for NHS Mid and South Essex
Our ambition is to ensure we do all we can to reduce those numbers and prevent the devastating and permanent impact on families, loved ones and local communities. We hope this campaign will get more people talking about suicide to break the stigma. We want to encourage as many people as possible to take the free training so they can support someone in the future who might be at risk of or thinking about suicide
The following places will be turning green.
- Basildon sign
- Brentwood Town Hall
- Bennetts Funeral Home, Brentwood
- Castle Point Borough Council Building
- Colchester Castle
- County Hall, Chelmsford
- Clacton Town Hall
- Clacton Pier
- Colchester Town Hall
- Craig Tyler trust Bench, Pitsea
- Maldon District Council offices, Princes Road, Maldon
- Mercury Theatre, Colchester
- North Essex Mind
- Porters, Southend on Sea
- Southend City Beach
- Southend Civic Centre
- Thameside Theatre, Thurrock
- Thurrock and Brentwood Mind, Quays, Warley
- Thurrock and Brentwood Mind, Bridge Road, Grays
- Thurrock and Brentwood Mind Unit 7, Grays
- Thurrock and Brentwood Mind Charity Shop, Grays
- Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions
Many buildings and landmarks are joining the campaign daily, view our road map for the full up to date list on the website www.letstalkaboutsuicideessex.co.uk
This is the second year, and we are deeply humbled by the response from organisations that have stepped up by supporting the ‘Creating hope light’ campaign, as well as challenging their own staff to take the training. We hope more people and organisations will join us and get as many people as possible taking the suicide prevention training.
Lynne Morgan, CEO, Thurrock & Brentwood Mind
If you would like to find out more about how to get involved visit www.letstalkaboutsuicideessex.co.uk