IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 7, 2018

Working together to prevent suicide on World Suicide Prevention Day.

A collaboration between Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust and the community will see everyone join together at 6pm on September the 10th in the 5th annual World Suicide Prevention Day being held at First Church, Moray Place in Dunedin.

Our community will come together, remember loved ones lost to suicide, pay our respects and listen to motivational speakers who have lived experience of suicide, mental health and distress themselves. Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust strives to break the silence surrounding suicide through developing suicide prevention initiatives, offering support and promoting wellbeing.

“Every day, we lose many lives to suicide, and many more are profoundly impacted by their deaths. We acknowledge all who experience the challenges of suicidal ideation, and those who have lost loved ones through suicide.” (quote from WHO 2018 doc -https://iasp.info/wspd2018/)

Life Matters has organised this well attended event since 2014 and this year will be no exception. Throughout this “Working Together to Prevent Suicide” themed, gold coin donation event, there will be 668 candles burning for each person who has died by suicide in New Zealand during the 2017/2018 year. This, unfortunately all-time high statistic, makes it glaringly obvious that communities must take a united stand. We need to remove the stigma surrounding mental health, inspire others to break the silence and encourage them to ask, ‘are you ok?’. “The listening ear of someone with compassion, empathy and a lack of judgement can help restore hope.” (https://iasp.info/wspd/pdf/2018/2018_wspd_take_a_minute.pdf. Life Matters believes that this and other WSPD events can and will be used as a catalyst that will inspire mental health reform.

Inspirational speakers include Jamie Allen who is the coordinator at Taranaki Retreat, Sam O’Sullivan who is a Clinical Psychologist, Director and Founder of ToughTalk, Matt Toa is a former Professional MMA and Kickboxing champion and co-founder of Hammerhead MMA, Maria Dillon a bereaved mother, author and speaker and Klaudia Bennett a school student who will be sharing her personal story of her struggles and triumphs over suicide and mental health distress.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to write messages of love on tokens that can be placed on a remembrance tree. Our community will have time to share stories of their own as well.

Please join us for musical performances, candle lighting and love tokens placed on a remembrance tree. Come and experience a community coming together, connecting and standing united in the fight for mental wellness.

Everybody welcome.

Ends.

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