'Fantastic' response to Chesterfield town centre suicide awareness event
and live on Freeview channel 276
‘A Friend For Life: Chesterfield Suicide Awareness & Prevention Day’ took place on Saturday, January 4 in New Square.
Organiser Luke Povey said a striking display of more than 100 shoes, to represent every person that is lost to suicide each week, helped to capture people’s attention.
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Hide Ad“It had a really strong impact and we probably helped about 200 people on the day,” Luke said.
“We had a lot of good conversations and a lot of people took contact details for the organisations available and offering help and advice.”
There was also a display of more than 270 rubber ducks, representing the number of children tragically lost to suicide last year.
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Hide AdOrganisations which took part on the Market Place included The Samaritans, Men-Talk, Fem-Talk, The Tomorrow Project and Fuzzy Ducks.
Luke, who suffers with mental health problems himself, says he hopes there will be further events in Chesterfield.
“I always tell people when talking about my own experience that I have not jut been there, I am still there,” he added.
“I hope this event will spread the message there is help out there for people who need it.
“I would be very surprised if there weren’t more events in future.”