Nearly 200 Orange Button-holders in Burnley, Pendle, and the Ribble Valley have specialist Lancashire Mind training to help prevent suicide

There are 178 Orange Button-holders in the area - 110 in Burnley, 44 in Pendle, and 24 in the Ribble Valley.

They can wear the brightly coloured badge to show suicidal people they have been trained through Lancashire Mind to provide information, support, and a listening ear. They cannot offer counselling but signpost people to professional support to help keep them safe.

Lancashire Mind hopes the scheme will help reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and encourage people to talk more openly about it.

Karen Arrowsmith, Workplace Wellbeing and Training Lead at Lancashire Mind, said people who are suicidal might fear being a “burden” if they open up to loved ones about their feelings.

She said: “If they are experiencing dark thoughts, they might not want to burden the person they love. It is a sad and dark place, but people are not alone.”

Karen claims it is not just people who are suicidal who may struggle to talk about the subject. Friends and family might also worry about bringing it up.

“People do have a fear of talking about suicide: they fear making it worse and planting the idea in someone’s mind.

“There’s no evidence that talking about it could lead to suicide.

“[Not talking about it] can make it more taboo. We should be talking about it more and normalising it and destigmatising it, so people feel they can reach out for help.

“If you have an internal gut feeling, we ask [you not to be] afraid of the answer. We can’t fix every problem, but listening can make a huge difference to people.”

Karen added: “Everybody struggles at some point. We might not all experience these dark thoughts, but they are not uncommon. That is not to take away from anyone’s pain at that moment.

“Someone might feel suicide is the only way out. It becomes like tunnel vision. So I think it’s important not to minimise their pain and struggles. It is important to listen without judgement, and not to try to fix things. [You need to know] how to keep that person safe at that moment, then worry about the rest later.

"Even if somebody makes a disclosure to you and it feels off-the-cuff, explore it: don’t ignore it.”

Lancashire Mind is looking for as many people as possible to undergo suicide prevention training, fully funded by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB. Anyone can sign up to become an Orange Button-holder. There are currently 2,400 across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

An Orange Button sticker can also be supplied to businesses and organisations, such as cafes, shops, and pubs, to place in a prominent window alerting people to trained staff available to help.

To enrol, contact [email protected] or visit https://www.lancashiremind.org.uk/

If you are at immediate risk of suicide, go to your nearest A&E or call 999.

If your situation is urgent but not an emergency: text SHOUT to 85258, ring Samaritans for free on 116 123, the 24/7 Mental Health Urgent Response Line on 0800 953 0110, or the PAPYRUS HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141, or email [email protected]