Burnley mental health charity Casual Minds to host weekly seminars on suicide awareness and prevention

Casual Minds Matter CIC is holding a weekly seminar on Suicide Awareness and Prevention, the objective of which is to provide people with the skills to recognise the warning signs of depression and the chances someone close to you needs help, that they may be planning to take their own life and have the confidence and knowledge to speak openly and honestly to them.

Dave Burnett, charity director, said: “Sometimes breaking their train of thought and showing them someone else cares and understands what they are going through is enough to save a life.”

Starting on Friday at 12pm, the charity will be covering: UK statistics on suicide, inequality, discrimination and stigma, basic tools to give support, when to call for help and who to call for help.

• Suicide is the number one killer of men under 49 years of age;

• Suicide rates across Lancashire and South Cumbria are the third highest in England;

• Men are three times more likely to take their life by suicide than women;

• 67% of people who die by suicide are not known to mental health services.

Dave added: “As awful as these facts are they only scratch the surface of the true horror of suicide. Every suicide leaves behind wives, husbands, children, family, friends, and work colleagues. How many times do we hear ‘there were no signs’ and ‘if only they had said something’?”

Casual Minds is based at St James’ House, St James’ Row.