Cumbrian charity hosts suicide prevention conference at Rheged
A Cumbrian charity has hosted its first suicide prevention conference.
Every Life Matters, a suicide prevention and bereavement support charity, held the event on April 3 at the Rheged Centre in Penrith.
The conference was attended by 192 delegates who came to learn more about suicide prevention, self-harm, and suicide bereavement.
A conference delegate participates in a workshop (Image: Supplied) The key messages of the day were "Be Kind, Be Brave and Give Hope" and "Take Action. Prevent Suicide."
Delegates were encouraged to start conversations to help break down the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, and to take action to prevent suicide within both their workplaces and communities.
The conference was opened by Kate Bainbridge, co-founder of Every Life Matters and Cumbria Woman of the Year 2024.
She was followed by a film of the Every Life Matters Young People Team, who spoke to delegates about their experience of bereavement by suicide and their own suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
They urged delegates to take action and help break the stigma, to help create a society where suicide is openly spoken about.
The conference was attended by 192 delegates (Image: Supplied) The young people's messages were followed by information and statistics from Colin Cox and Katrina Stephens, public health leads for Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils, and an outline of the Cumbria Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Juliet Gray and Chris Wood, Every Life Matters co-founders, talked about why "Suicide is Everyone's Business," telling delegates that everyone has a role to play in creating a society where suicide is openly talked about.
Mr Wood, CEO and co-founder of Every Life Matters, said: "It was a privilege to be able to speak to a room full of motivated and caring people who will all go away with the tools and passion to make a difference within their workplaces and communities.
He added "The day was a success thanks to the collaboration of speakers and organisations alongside the amazing team at Every Life Matters."
The charity wants to make the conference an annual occurrence, and to continue to educate as many people as possible in suicide prevention and to raise awareness of the topic.
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