A patchwork quilt featuring memorials to people from Cornwall who took their own lives has gone on display at Lys Kernow.
It formed the centrepiece of an event on Monday (January 19) aimed at raising awareness of mental health and suicide and encouraging people to sign up for suicide prevention training.
The quilt is part of a national initiative called Speak Their Name which supports people bereaved by suicide. It aims to spark conversation and celebrate the lives lost.
The council’s public health team linked up with Speak Their Name Cornwall and mental health charity MIND to organise the event.
It ties in with the ongoing Towards Zero suicide campaign in Cornwall and also featured representatives from the likes of Healthy Cornwall, Papyrus and the Samaritans.
People were able to find out about suicide intervention training and the Orange Button community scheme.
Cllr Thalia Marrington, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Health at Cornwall Council, said:
“The Speak Their Name memory quilt is such a powerful symbol of the devastation caused by suicide and an important reminder of why the Towards Zero campaign is so vital.
“It’s crucial that we confront this issue openly and work together, which is why events like the one on Monday are so important.
“Free training is available for anyone living or working in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, helping people feel more confident in having these conversations and guiding others to the right support.”
Val Ribbons, from Speak Their Name Cornwall, said:
“People who have died by suicide are not defined by their death – they lived unique lives that touched all the people who loved and cared for them. Our beautiful Memorial Quilts honour those lives. The mums, dads, friends, and siblings that contribute to them come together in our groups to remember their loved ones and celebrate their lives.”
The memory quilt will be in New County Hall until Friday, February 13, when it will be moved to St Johns Hall, Penzance until Friday, March 6, and then onto Chy Trevail, Bodmin.
Anyone who has been impacted by the suicide of a loved one can receive support via the Cornwall Speak Their Name Memorial Quilt page on Facebook and the Speak Their Name website.
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2). This call is free and will enable you to speak to a mental health professional in Cornwall. It is available to anyone, of any age, at any time.
People in Mind is a collaboration between community sector organisations, funded by Cornwall Council and NHS. They offer non-urgent mental health support for people who are 16 and older in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. You can call 01872 266383 via a dedicated telephone line 7 days a week 8am – 8pm or email welcome@kernowgateway.org.uk