The town’s Civic Centre will shine green for the rest of this week to support a campaign to reduce the stigma associated with suicide and mental health.
The ‘creating hope through light’ initiative runs until 12 December 2021 and involves a number of Essex landmarks being lit up with green light. The event coincides with world suicide prevention week.
As part of the initiative, Harlow residents are being encouraged to take part in the free online suicide prevention training that has been made available to help others who might be at risk of or thinking about suicide.
As well as the Civic Centre, the Community Hub in the Harvey Centre has also been lit up with green light to show support. The hub provides support to those residents who have been affected the most by the pandemic.
Councillor Joel Charles, Deputy Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“Suicide and the knock-on impact it has on family, friends and all those close to someone who has taken their own life is devastating. COVID-19 has forced many in our community into isolation, which is still putting extra pressure on their mental health. It is everyone’s business to be alert to the signs that someone is not ok and to be aware of the steps that can be taken to guide people to seek professional help to avoid another tragedy unfolding.
“Promoting health and wellbeing is a council priority – supporting targeted efforts to encourage residents to talk about their mental health and feel more confident about accessing support can help direct more people towards making positive life choices. This is why the council is taking part in the ‘creating hope through light’ campaign, because every life matters in our community.”
Anyone can take part during the awareness week by accessing the online training on the Let’s talk about suicide Essex website.
The suicide prevention training focuses on three key elements – See, Say and Signpost.
See the problem, Say the words and Signpost to support. This approach aims to empower people with the confidence to talk to someone who might be at risk of or thinking about suicide.