Suicide prevention campaign launched in Wolverhampton
Communities in Wolverhampton are being urged to get behind a new suicide prevention programme that has launched in the city.
The Look Out For Wolverhampton website provides information, resources and essential contact details for anyone who is experiencing suicidal thoughts or knows someone in the same situation.
Developed by Wolverhampton Suicide Prevention Stakeholder Forum, the site encourages people to contact them if they have any concerns.
Trustee and chair Clare Dickens said: "Many suicide prevention campaigns focus on encouraging those experiencing such distress to reach out for help. Whilst that message is important, we need to also focus awareness efforts on some of the relational barriers when people do.
"This campaign offers a call to action so we can all play a part – and that we don’t have to be experts either. I’m quite confident that many lives have been saved through the eloquence of someone being kind.
"This goes right through to someone noticing the distress of someone else and having a commitment to do something to alleviate that suffering, through taking intolerable emotional distress as seriously as we would do chest pain."
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “The website addresses some of the myths and misunderstandings which surround suicide and can leave people feeling unable to offer help to others in distress, or seek help for themselves.
“We can all play our part in keeping people safe – look out for a loved one, a friend, a colleague or anyone else that we know or care about. There is always hope and there is help and support available locally and nationally 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Councillor Andy Randle said: "I’m pleased to see this refreshed website. The service is an important one, bringing together many people to help those most in need.
"Easy access to resources is key and the website enables that. Too often people struggle in silence and I encourage everyone to support this service and the information with friends, family and colleagues."
Need help?:
If you have been affected by this article contact Samaritans on 116 123 or at samaritans.org or search for Look Out For Wolverhampton on the council's website at wolverhampton.gov.uk
