West Yorkshire volunteers urged to become suicide prevention champions as area's rate remains above average

James Connolly
By James Connolly
Published 25th Aug 2023, 11:45 BST
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People in West Yorkshire have been urged to become 'suicide prevention champions', as the area's suicide rate remains above average.

The initiative will see resources rolled out to help volunteers raise awareness and challenge the stigma associated with suicide.

It comes ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 and it is hoped that the campaign will help to lower the suicide rate in the region.

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The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, which is behind the scheme, has urged people to sign up. They will be given access to the latest suicide prevention news, resources, support services and information, so they can help spread the word and encourage suicide prevention.

Rob Webster CBE, CEO for NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and CEO Lead for West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, who lost his 32-year-old brother to suicide in 2003, was the first West Yorkshire suicide prevention champion to sign up. Photo: West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.Rob Webster CBE, CEO for NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and CEO Lead for West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, who lost his 32-year-old brother to suicide in 2003, was the first West Yorkshire suicide prevention champion to sign up. Photo: West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
Rob Webster CBE, CEO for NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and CEO Lead for West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, who lost his 32-year-old brother to suicide in 2003, was the first West Yorkshire suicide prevention champion to sign up. Photo: West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.

Signing up takes minutes, as participants watch a 20-minute suicide awareness video, by the Zero Suicide Alliance, and make a pledge about how they plan to promote suicide prevention.

Volunteers can sign up at the suicide prevention campaign’s website.

The partnership hopes to recruit 281 suicide prevention champions by the end of the year – one for each of the 281 people whose deaths were registered as suicides in West Yorkshire coroners’ courts in 2021.

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Richard James, acting consultant in public health and lead for the partnership's suicide prevention programme, said: “We need everyone’s help in reducing suicides. We want all citizens of West Yorkshire to know that they can do something to change the status quo, even if this is as simple as putting up a poster at work.