World Suicide Prevention Day 2024 is on Tuesday 10th September. The event aims to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicides.
At Leeds Mind, we know how important this is given the recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) publication of registered deaths from suicide in England and Wales in 2023. Deaths by suicide were recorded at their highest rate since 1999. Yorkshire and the Humber recorded suicide rates above the national average.
The World Health Organisation’s campaign talks about “changing the narrative on suicide”, asking people to “start the conversation”.
As your local mental health charity in Leeds, we’re continuing the conversation with our communities. We’ve been having these conversations for a long time through our preventative mental health services, our suicide prevention work, and our suicide bereavement support.
What will Leeds Mind be doing for World Suicide Prevention Day 2024?
Free Workshop at Leeds City Museum “Continuing Bonds – Looking to the Future”
Date: Tuesday 10th September 2024
Time: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Venue: Leeds City Museum
Cost: Free
Building on our involvement with the museum’s ‘Living With Death’ exhibition, we are hosting a workshop to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
Take part in a compassionate and gentle reminiscence session, exploring how bonds can continue after we have lost someone to suicide. Attendees can bring along photos of the person they have lost, and there will be an opportunity to turn photos into a new memory, using art and crafts supplied provided during the workshop.
Our staff understand because they’ve been there.
This event is free but spaces are limited. To book your place on the workshop, please email the Suicide Bereavement Services team at: sbs@leedsmind.org.uk
Community conversations across the city
We’ve got stalls across the community over the course of the week, including St John’s Shopping Centre and Kirkgate Market. Keep an eye out on our social media for where we’ll be, and come and say ‘hi’. Community stalls are a great opportunity to have a chat about mental health with our staff, and see what support is available.
Event for businesses: “The Vital Role of Employers in Suicide Prevention and Postvention”
Date: Tuesday 10th September
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Venue: Hippo Digital, Aireside House, 24-26 Aire Street, Leeds LS1 4HT
Cost: Free
Join the Leeds Mindful Employer Network at this event for businesses, to:
- Hear a keynote talk by Steve Phillip, Founder of the Jordan Legacy CIC, on: Why no business expects a suicide to impact them – how to strengthen your company’s ‘safety net’
- Learn from local employers who have implemented approaches to help prevent suicide
- Find out more about the local picture in Leeds; understand Leeds’ strategic approach to preventing suicide and suicide postvention, and understand where employers fit in
- Hear about how employers can effectively and compassionately support employees bereaved by suicide
- Take a look at our new, exclusive employer resource ‘Effectively Supporting Employees Bereaved By Suicide’
- Hear from people with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and learn how they were supported at work
- Learn about local services, training, tools and resources
- Share experiences, tips and good practice
- Get an exclusive, heavily discounted rate on Leeds Mind’s “A Life Worth Living” suicide prevention course *
You can book your free place via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-vital-role-of-employers-in-suicide-prevention-and-postvention-registration-945554558137?aff=oddtdtcreator&msockid=083151ab630567e734104544629a660b
Amplifying the message on the airwaves
We’ll be “starting the conversation” through community radio. These are fantastic platforms to amplify the message about suicide prevention and “change the narrative” on suicide. Keep an eye out on social media for where and when you can tune in!
Keep up with Leeds Mind on World Suicide Prevention Day
You can keep up with everything we’re doing on our social media channels:
@LeedsMind on Twitter
@leedsmind on Instagram
@Leeds Mind on Facebook
@Leeds Mind on LinkedIn
Find more information on suicide prevention in Leeds this World Suicide Prevention Day
Our Services:
Our support focuses on early intervention and prevention. Supporting people early is key to reducing deaths by suicide.
Peer support
Peer support means supporting each other on an equal and mutual basis, using shared personal experiences. Our groups, workshops and courses focus on people’s strengths, and help develop skills and strategies to maintain wellbeing. Trained staff and volunteers provide a welcoming and safe environment in which to do this.
Counselling
At Leeds Mind we offer Leeds residents individual one-to-one counselling. Talking therapies can be beneficial to people who are going through a time of poor mental health, or facing challenges in life.
Befriending
Leeds Mind’s Befriending service works with people over 50 in and around Leeds, who may be struggling with loneliness or social isolation. We offer one-to-one befriending partnerships with a like-minded befriending volunteer. With a befriender, someone can share what’s on their mind, or just enjoy having a chat.
Suicide bereavement services
We provide compassionate support for people bereaved or affected by suicide, delivered by staff who understand because they have been there. Anyone can use our services, whether the loss was recent or historic, and regardless of the closeness of your relationship to the person who had passed away .
Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones is a prevention service that supports residents of Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. The aim of the service is to reduce suicide and admission rates to A&E in relation to self-harm and suicide attempts.
…and lots more
We have many more services that can help: https://www.leedsmind.org.uk/services/
Help for workplaces:
Leeds Mindful Employer Network
Leeds Mindful Employer Network brings local employers together to champion positive mental health at work. The network has done lots of work around suicide prevention at work, and has worked with the Leeds Mind Suicide Bereavement Services to produce a resource for workplaces to support staff who have been affected by suicide.
Mental health training
Leeds Mind’s mental health training includes suicide prevention course, A Life Worth Living. https://www.leedsmind.org.uk/help-for-employers/training/
Other local support
- The West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention website lists all the local support and resources https://suicidepreventionwestyorkshire.co.uk/
- Mindwell Leeds has a directory of all the support available locally https://www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk/services-directory/?service_type=suicide-prevention&search_postcode=
