Reach Out: Start to end suicide’s procession is due to happen tomorrow, celebrating the lives of those lost to suicide and ending the stigma around mental health.
Salford-based charity, Start Inspiring Minds, runs the Reach Out procession with the aim of empowering those affected by mental health issues and suicide, engaging with communities to create a conversation about wellbeing and the support available.
But, with organisers fearing the cost-of-living crisis will result in more deaths than the Covid pandemic and the 2008 recession, the importance of suicide awareness has been highlighted.
The procession, starting at 6:30pm, will have hundreds of yellow flags, pausing the city to remember those lost to suicide.
It will start at the Start centre in Broad Street, M6 5BZ, and finish at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery, the museum will then host a remembrance vigil at 8pm.
Dennis Baldwin, Project Manager for Reach Out: Start to End Suicide said: “With the cost-of-living crisis, since Covid, the mental health of the people has gotten a lot worse, and I only see it increasing.
“We can compare it to the same number of those that happened during the last financial disaster of 2008s to 10s.
“We saw 1,000 extra deaths by suicide, and they estimated between 20 and 30,000 people attempted to take their own lives as well, and from what I see, this is going to be far worse than we had in 2008, and 2010.
“So, I really think now more than ever, we really need to sort of keep an eye and look out for each other.”
Originally created in 2018 for Start Inspiring Minds’ 25th anniversary, the Reach Out: Start to end suicide procession aims to push away the stigma of suicide being an uncomfortable topic by celebrating and remembering the lives of victims rather than their deaths.
The procession was so successful it still helps to platform those affected by suicide, from victims to family members and friends, with the hope of normalising the conversation of suicide and preventing more people from becoming victims.
It is hoped that alongside the Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, local MPs, suicide awareness organizations like 3 Dads Walking and Salford Integrated Care Partnership, there will be a total of 200 to 300 attendees.
Mr Baldwin said: “It’s incredibly sad, because as a society, when someone dies by suicide, we don’t know what to do with the family, or the loved ones around that person.
“If we feel uncomfortable with society, we step back from them, so that they become increasingly isolated without that support, which then in turn sort of increases their chances of trying to take their own life.
“So, it’s a vicious cycle, which we need to break.”
Join us 08/10 #Pausethecity Vigil & Procession of Remembrance 6.30pm @STARTinspminds for procession 7.00pm @SalfordMuseum for Vigil Funded by @salfordccg supported by @SalfordCouncil https://t.co/yGt6inrQl0 https://t.co/nqBemwnT0F pic.twitter.com/LpwbfvPziz
— Reach Out ; Start to End Suicide (@reachoutstes) October 6, 2022
As someone who has personally dealt with suicidal thoughts, Dennis believes that Reach Out’s mission to ease the conversation of suicide can help break the cycle.
He said: “It’s a lot easier to start communicating when you are mentally well than when it starts to deteriorate.
“So that’s why we want to start these conversations now.
“Because in my utopian world, we can all wake up one day and say, “Well, I’m experiencing these thoughts,” and then I can just know exactly who I can ring, who I can speak to, and get the help and support I need immediately.
“But I think we’re a long way off from that, but it’s with each and every conversation that we have that makes life a little bit easier for people to reach out.”
If you are, or know someone who is, affected by suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help or call the 24/7 help line: 988 or 116123
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