Mental Health Ireland Project #28223

Counselling Help to 20 Suicidal Irish People

by Hope Trust

Counselling Help to 20 Suicidal Irish People

Project Report | Feb 5, 2024
Exciting Endeavour for us

By Linda Rowett | Director

We mentioned in a previous report that we were exploring the possibility of creating a series of short films around suicide and self-harm. This has been in the planning stage through 2023 and now, in February 2024, we are looking forward to commencing production.

We will be interviewing a variety of people who have either been impacted by the loss of family members; those who considered suicide as a possibility and what helped them to not fulfil this. Also some understanding on what drives people to that point of despair and the role that spirituality plays in giving purpose for living.

We are a long way off completion, but very grateful to have started this journey at last! Our hope is to break stigma that continues to remain in some sectors towards this issue. But also to bring understanding to people who may not have considered the tremendous loss this kind of death brings to those who know and love them; or understanding of how difficult it is to live with poor mental health.

Hopefully the end goal will be to help our communities to become more aware, sensitive and confident in helping others. We will be making these films available to churches and community groups and any who want to become part of a support network.

As promised we held our 7th walk across the Shannon Bridge in Athlone on the 31st October '23. Despite the rain we drew a good crowd as we laid a wreath of remembrance on the bridge and then held a service of support and remembrance in the town square. The event included a sharing on remembrance, workship and a bell ringing song, a testimony of encouragement, prayers of support and of blessing to the townsfolk of Athlone and surrounds. It was a moving time and included members of the public showing support to those who had lost loved ones to suicide.

We do wish you all a prosperous 2024 - a year filled with great connections, inclusive communities and the support of friends and family.

All the best from Hope Trust, Ireland

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Oct 16, 2023
New Possibilities

By Linda Rowett | Director

cuppa coffee

We send you warm greetings from Ireland.

We have experienced many changes in operation since our inception as a charity in 2005. Over the years we have covered many different projects and are grateful to have had the opportunity to meet with and support hundreds of different people within the community. However despite the different methods used our objective has remained the same throughout these years to offer support, assistance where possible, and walk with people with difficult life issues, trauma and suicidal ideation.

We have been approached to partner with a new coffee shop initiative, encouraging connection and talking through issues. This is an exciting project which we hope will be realised in the fullness of time. The idea is to have an up-market coffee shop serving good quality coffee with a welcoming ambience and empathic staff trained to listen. It might be used as well to facilitate discussions around mental health or other topics that concern people. Individual counselling would be available by appointment and accessible to those seeking it. There are obviously many steps that need to be taken to realise this 'dream' but those carrying it are passionate about seeing the next generation freed from the stress of poor mental health - they also love coffee!!

Thanks to the generosity of one of GlobalGiving's funders we have initiated another project. We intend to produce a short film to try and address the stigma and fear surrounding suicide and mental health issues. We learned about some unpublished research that highlighted the fact that a significant percentage of people who did not carry through with plans to suicide, were helped spiritually. This was a great encouragement and motivation to use this information to help the community and church to come 'on board'. To become more natural, compassionate and less resistant to walking alongside people who are isolated, detached and in need of a listening ear. We look forward to moving ahead with this project and hope that it might effect some change to those who view it.

Counselling continues in the meanwhile - both online with four different counsellors and face to face appointments with two.

We are also in preparations for our 7th candlelit walk across the Shannon River in Athlone. We intend to hold a memorial service to remember the lives of all who were lost through trauma and suicide, followed by prayer and support to those left behind - the families and loved ones of those who are lost. Our desire in this is to let the families and friends know that they are not alone and that we care.

Thank you once again for your support and encouragements to our small charity - they mean a lot to those who serve here.

God bless

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Jun 20, 2023
Hope for the future

By Linda Rowett | Director

'How are you' team in Athlone

We had a very enthusiastic team of young adult volunteers from a local Athlone church who took to the streets and local shopping centres to enquire 'how are you?', as Hope Trust contributed to the Mental Health awareness week. We went armed with 100 chocolate oranges as well as contact details for referrals for those who required them. We found the exercise a really positive exercise as the majority of folk who stopped to engage with us were glad to have someone speak to them. Some were mental health carers themselves who were appreciative and said 'no-one ever stopped to ask them how they were doing!'. We look forward to our next opportunity to meet with the community.

Reporting on self-harm statistics according to Samaritans, 'there were 12,533 presentations to hospital in 2020 by 9,550 persons'. This, of course, is not a full representation of the level of self-harm as many cases are not presented at hospital. However, those who are, are at severe risk of suicide, particularly if they have repeat incidents. According to CSO, 'suicide was the number one cause of death in 2019 for young males aged under 25 years and was the third highest cause of death amongst females'.

Losing purpose in life, broken relationships and bereavement, loss of work opportunities, isolation and addiction are all contributors to suicidal ideation. There continue to be various initiatives to try to address these issues, counselling being one of these. Our hope is that we find effective ways of connecting with those who are most in need, that we build positive communities and that individuals would come to know their value within society.

Thank you for the support offered to Hope Trust, it has made a difference in the lives of many seeking help.

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