Meet Burnley mental health campaigners Six Connections and Support After Suicide who are on a mission to get people talking about suicide
Two Burnley campaign groups have joined forces to help prevent people from dying by suicide.
Six Connections will train workers in roles where they are likely to build relationships with customers - like barbers, hairdressers, tattooists, and bar staff – to talk to people about mental health and suicide.
Fellow Burnley group Support After Suicide will help pay for the training through its fundraising activities.
Dave Scholes set up Six Connections after his best friend took his own life 14 years ago. When he met Sharon Chapman, one of the organisers of Support After Suicide, the two groups decided to work together to raise further awareness.
Dave said: “We’re both from Burnley, our paths align in what we want to do. We have this idea that we want to save the world and start in Burnley. A lot of people need help."
Six Connections has already worked with schools and businesses and delivers the training in six sessions over six months. Dave says that Lancashire County Council has promised to match any money raised through Crowdfunding to deliver the scheme to community sporting groups.
"I spoke to Sharon, and we realised we could help more people," added Dave.
"People who work behind bars, in hair salons, or beauty industry all get the world unpacked on them. You’re more likely to have those conversations where you’re more comfortable and relaxed. In the hairdressers, you’re not looking directly at someone’s face but in a mirror."
The groups aim to normalise the subject of suicide and help reduce the stigma. They hope that if people talk about it when they're feeling well, they might be more comfortable discussing it in crisis.
Equally, they want to give people more confidence in raising the topic with a struggling loved one, with Dave adding: "I genuinely believe by doing this, we will help keep people on the planet."
If you run a business or organisation that could benefit from the training, contact Dave at [email protected] for more information.
Support After Suicide will host a fundraising ball at the end of the month. If you could donate a raffle prize, please search for the group on Facebook.