A poignant climb up Pendle Hill will take place this month as part of a powerful campaign to tackle Burnley’s rising mental health crisis – and prevent more “empty chairs” in local homes.

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The event, Climbing Pendle Hill for Hope, is being organised by the Support After Suicide group to highlight the impact of suicide and drug-related deaths, which have risen sharply in the town over the past two years. Organisers say the climb will symbolise a shared commitment to doing better, bringing services, communities, and local voices together to create a stronger, more joined-up support system.

“This is about hope and action,” said campaign founder Sharon Chapman, whose husband Mark died by suicide six years ago.

Chris Jones with Mark's chair, which he, along with friends, will be carrying up Pendle Hill for Support After Suicide's charity event.

placeholder image — Chris Jones with Mark's chair, which he, along with friends, will be carrying up Pendle Hill for Support After Suicide's charity event.

“Someone once sent me a card that said, ‘There’s always hope.’ That’s the message we need to spread. We want to bring people together – services, communities, and those with lived experience – so no one in crisis slips through the cracks.”

Burnley’s suicide rate is one of the highest in England – 17.4 deaths per 100,000 people, well above the national average – with the town also among the worst affected in Lancashire for drug- and alcohol-related deaths. Behind these figures are people living with multiple challenges: bereavement, major life changes, chronic illnesses like COPD, housing instability, and mental health difficulties, often alongside polysubstance use involving both prescribed and illicit drugs.

Campaigners say these are the very people who often “don’t fit neatly into boxes” – falling between the gaps in service criteria, being passed from one provider to another without a clear safety plan and sometimes reaching help too late. A joined-up, community-based approach, where professionals, families, and communities work together, could make the difference between life and death.

“Our goal is to raise enough funds to bring in a qualified mental health researcher who can work with coroners’ reports and lived experience to uncover the specific challenges facing Burnley,” added Sharon. “Many assume that this kind of in-depth, local investigation is already happening – sadly, it isn’t. That’s why we are coming together to make it happen ourselves. Without clear evidence, real change is harder to achieve. With it, we can pinpoint where the system is breaking down and take practical steps to build a more connected, compassionate safety net for everyone in our community.”

On Sunday, August 31, bereaved families, friends, and supporters will climb Pendle Hill for Mark’s Chair for Hope, carrying the chair to the summit in memory of those we’ve lost and as a symbol of unity. The chair will be carried by Chris Jones, along with a number of his friends from Change Gym.

"Me and my mates are looking forward to this challenge – it’s what we do week in week out,” said Chris .”We come together and help and encourage each other, at times we carry each other if someone is struggling too. Whether that be physically with injury, mentally, feeling down or just lacking motivation, we’re always there for each other. We need to drop the stigma of men having to be macho and feeling like they can’t talk. We hope that in carrying Mark’s chair (and each other) up Pendle Hill, we can show solidarity and hope to people that may be struggling. Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and yes there will be trials and tribulations along the way. But there are people out there who will help and you don’t have to face the fight alone. Come and join us and show your support for this very worthy cause. Every challenge, every penny raised, every life saved, is another step closer to us changing the narrative.”

The climb will start at 9am from Barley Car Park, and donations can be made via their crowdfunding page.

Statement from Marks Chair for Hope

Nearly six years ago, my husband died by suicide. Steroids played a role, but the real drivers were life circumstances that built up until they became unbearable. He didn’t fit any “tick box” criteria that would have flagged him for urgent help – but we, his family, could see his behaviour was completely out of character. Our concerns weren’t taken seriously.

That gap – the failure to listen to loved ones and treat sudden personality changes as a red flag – is costing lives. We believe it should be recognised as a key risk factor in suicide prevention frameworks. At Marks Chair for Hope, we want people to understand that suicide can happen to anyone. We must broaden our awareness of risk factors, not limit them to narrow profiles. Support After Suicide hears this same commitment from bereaved families again and again; but little changes.

Since Covid, things have worsened. Services in our area have never fully resumed. Burnley is grossly underfunded for psychological support, and the third-sector charities stepping in are carrying unacceptably high levels of risk. This is not sustainable, and it is not fair.

We need better joined-up support between the NHS, mental health services, voluntary organisations, and families. We need funding that reflects the scale of the crisis. Above all, we need to listen to those on the front line: the people who see the changes in someone before it’s too late. Lives depend on it.