Lake District: Event aims to create conversations on suicide

Every Life Matters is holding its first fundraising, called Stride Against Suicide, on September 22 at Fell Foot near Windermere.

The event is being held to raise funds to go towards the charity's work to bring down the high rates of suicide in the county and also to bring together people who have been impacted by suicide.

It aims to break the stigma surrounding suicide by starting conversations and encouraging people to check in on their teammates to get through the run but also to encourage this in their wider lives.

READ MORE: 'Every one a tragedy' - nearly 300 people have died in Cumbria by suicide since 2020

Cumbria has a suicide rate 50 per cent higher than the England average, according to the Office for National Statistics between 2019 and 2021.

ONS also noted that Barrow and Copeland had the 5th and 6th highest suicide rates by district in England during 2019 and 2021.

Chris Wood, charity manager at Every Life Matters, said suicide is 'everyone's business'.

A team in Every Life Matters t-shirts (Image: Submitted)

"We can all make a difference and potentially save lives, whether that’s looking out for a mate, learning suicide prevention skills or joining in with some fundraising," he said.

"We hope Stride Against Suicide is another way to get the conversations about suicide happening while running your socks off to get round as many laps as possible. It is great that the National Trust and Fell Foot have partnered with us on this event.

"The course runs around their grounds and runners can go for a dip in the Cumbrian riviera – the shores of Windermere - to cool down when they’ve finished. We’ve already got lots of people signed up, most of who are running to remember a loved one, a friend, relative or colleague."

Teams of up to five are invited to run or walk as many laps as they can with registration starting at 8.30am and running commencing at 9.30am and ending at 11.30am.

There will be music, refreshments and a variety of prizes up for grabs, alongside the cup for most laps completed by a team and individual – best team name, largest and smallest combined age, largest and smallest combined shoe size and best outfits. 

There will also be refreshments available from the café at Fell Foot alongside the other facilities on the site.

For more information about where to get help when you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or how you can support someone at risk, or if you have been bereaved by suicide, visit every-life-matters.org.uk