Several ‘Breathing Space benches’ have been installed across Lanarkshire to mark the start of Suicide Prevention Week (4-10 September) and encourage members of the public to talk and listen to help reduce deaths by suicide in the area.

Gathering with partners in Calderglen Country Park, representatives of the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership were keen to stress that doing something we all do every day – talking and listening to one another – has a crucial role to play in promoting positive mental health.

Soumen Sengupta, Director of Health and Social Care for South Lanarkshire said:

“Connecting with each other by talking and listening can be crucial to all our health and mental wellbeing. I want to encourage everyone, particularly anyone experiencing thoughts of harming themselves, to open up when they need to chat. And if you’re concerned about someone let them know, and reassure them that support is available.” 

Susan McMorrin, South Lanarkshire Suicide Prevention Lead - said:

“Every suicide is a tragedy. We know that people who are thinking about suicide don’t want to die, they just want to stop the pain that they’re feeling. So there is time to intervene, and if you see someone that you are concerned about we encourage you to reach out to that person. 

We’ve developed an app in Lanarkshire called Suicide Prevention Lanarkshire, which you can download from your app provider for free. There’s lots of useful information and contact numbers on there so I’d encourage everyone to download that onto their mobile phones.”

There were 83 deaths by suicide in Lanarkshire in 2021, each one a profound loss across our communities. Suicide is preventable. Anyone having thoughts of suicide, or concerned for someone, is encouraged to download the Suicide Prevention Lanarkshire app.  It includes support and information and allows calls to be made directly from the app to Samaritans, 999, Childline, The Silver Line and Breathing Space.

Useful numbers:

999 for anyone at immediate life-threatening risk

Samaritans on 116 123 (24 hours a day)

Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 (Mon-Thu, 6pm-2am and Fri 6pm-Mon 6am)

NHS 24 on 111 (out of hours)

Hopeline UK for young people on 0800 068 4141

Pictured top left Tony McLaren from Breathing Space, top right Colin Girvan from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, bottom left Susan McMorrin South Lanarkshire Suicide Prevention Lead, bottom right Soumen Sengupta, Director of Health and Social Care.