Mental health professionals, advocates and leaders came together in Bury on Wednesday, 18 June for the town’s first ever Suicide Prevention Conference, a powerful event focused on saving lives through support, collaboration and compassion.
Held under the theme “We’re In This Together”, the conference marked a key milestone in mental health efforts within the borough, aiming to raise awareness, offer support and build strategies to reduce suicide across workplaces and communities.
The event was organised by Rebecca Jackson from Bury-based charity The Big Fandango, Lorna Wilson and Tom Wild of The Creative Living Centre in Prestwich, with support from Bury Council’s public health lead Jim McGlynn.
Speakers addressed urgent issues such as changing the way we talk about suicide, risk factors affecting neurodivergent people, and how strong communities can play a vital role in prevention.
Rebecca Jackson, whose charity offers suicide prevention training, peer support for bereaved families and a sewing studio to combat isolation, opened the event with a call to “bring people together to talk openly and supportively”.
Among the other speakers were:
- Paul Vittles, designer of the Zero Suicide Society programme and advisor on the emerging British Standard for suicide prevention
- Julia Waters, sister of headteacher Ruth Perry, who died by suicide following an OFSTED inspection, campaigning for reform in school accountability
- Bob Abrahart, whose daughter Natasha took her own life while at university; he now campaigns for a legal duty of care in higher education
- Dr Sarmad Nadeem, consultant psychiatrist and suicide prevention chair at Pennine Care NHS Trust
- Andy Smith, founder of Spectrum Gaming in Bury, working with autistic youth
- Njal Long, suicide prevention lead at We Are Survivors, supporting men including trans and non-binary survivors of sexual harm
A 'Mental Health Marketplace' allowed attendees to engage with local and national organisations addressing causes linked to suicide such as bereavement, gambling, domestic abuse, housing and social isolation.
The event concluded with a panel discussion on at-risk groups, featuring Carly Bond from BIG, David Catterall on LGBTQ+ issues and Andrew Murray from Andy’s Man Club, moderated by Lorna Wilson.
'You've got a friend in me' as Whitworth wind band hits new high with over 40 players from across the school community
'Heywood is leading the way' as minister hails £20m regeneration plan as town becomes national model
Teen jiu jitsu champion brings home European gold to Rochdale
Rochdale fans invited to join Her Game Too as club strengthens anti-sexism drive
Middleton Arena shut by warehouse fire but members can still swim and gym at no extra cost
THREE days on, Middleton fire still burning as crews forced to TEAR DOWN building
Hopwood Hall College unveils plans for new four-storey building in Rochdale
Fire guts Middleton storage building as roof collapses during second day blaze
Fire crews battle second day of Middleton storage blaze while customers fear everything is lost
Middleton man told to pay back over £218,000 from drug profits or face prison
Minister backs £20m regeneration plans during visit to Rochdale and Littleborough
They abused 47 girls and tore up passports to dodge deportation from the UK
Comments
Add a comment