Suicide an 'unacceptable burden' on NI society
ULSTER families bereaved through suicide are due to come together to highlight the scale of the problem.
An early morning "out of the darkness and into the dawn" walk from Stormont to Belfast city centre has been organised to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
Last year almost 300 people in the province took their own lives, with a further 400 suicides in the Republic.
Around the world, 1.3 million people die each year by their own hand.
Groups dealing with bereaved families are taking part in the event – which commences at the gates of Parliament Buildings at 4.15am and reaches the city hall at daybreak around 6am.
Other groups working with affected families will be setting off from locations in north, west and south Belfast before a rally in the city centre.
Support groups describe suicide as an "unacceptable burden" within the community and are calling for more awareness of suicide prevention.
Bobby Cosgrove of the east Belfast-based Survivors of Suicide group lost his own son to suicide 20 years ago.
"When I first lost Richard I wanted to talk to someone who had suffered the same experience but could not find a single group dealing with suicide.
"There is so little awareness for such a major issue and things need to change drastically. From the 1st of July to the 16th August, 30 people in the greater Belfast area alone took their own lives."
Mr Cosgrove says there is more help for bereaved families today than in the past but the Protestant communities in Belfast are lagging behind.
"The support groups work together across the religious divide so I can see the different approaches being taken on this issue.
"Within the nationalist communities everyone works as one – the churches, GPs and community workers are all more aware of the services offered by the support groups and are more likely to refer people to them.
"That is still not happening in areas like east Belfast and people generally aren't aware of groups like ours which offers a family support network."
The health minister Michael McGimpsey and lord mayor Pat Convery will be addressing the walkers at the city hall gathering.
Further information is available from Chris Deconink at the East Belfast Community Development Agency on 028 9045 1512.
l Later on Friday evening Belfast Suicide Awareness United will be taking on the Crusaders under 21 side to raise funds for the various suicide support groups across the city. Kick off is 7.30pm at Seaview.
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Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
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