NSFT staff to carry Baton of Hope in national suicide prevention initiative
Four members of staff from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) have been chosen as baton bearers for the Baton of Hope - the UK's largest suicide prevention initiative.
The Olympic-torch style baton will be carried through Norwich on 17 September as part of a national tour aiming to spark the biggest conversation the country has ever had about suicide.
Each of the four staff members has a personal connection to suicide and will carry the baton in honour of those experiences. They each hope their involvement will raise awareness, challenge stigma, and encourage others to talk openly about suicide and mental health.
The Baton Bearers
Becca Gilmore, a Trainee Psychiatrist
Losing her brother to suicide inspired Becca to pursue a career in psychiatry.
Becca is in her second year of core psychiatry training at NSFT. She lost her brother Tom, a philosophy student, to suicide in 2022 while she was in her final year of medical school.
"My brother took his own life when he was 22 and that's why I'm doing psychiatry, essentially because of him," Becca said. "He was so amazing, so creative - he loved Lego, he was incredibly intelligent, and just so witty. No other person was like him."
In the months after her bereavement, Becca attended the Anchor support group run by Mind Norfolk & Waveney for those bereaved by suicide. She described it as "a real lifeline".
"Finding that companionship when I felt very lonely in grief with people who were feeling the exact same things as me was totally unvaluable."
Becca hopes the Baton of Hope will help to break the silence around suicide. She added: "Conversation about death or, in particular suicide, are often not had in our society. Just having a day where it's expected - and it's fine - is so powerful. I also think it's important that as someone who's training to be a psychiatrist and has been affected by suicide, I use my position to challenge stigma and show that these conversations matter."
Ian Orr, Family Liaison Officer
Ian is using his lived experience to encourage others to speak out about their mental health.
Ian began his role as Family Liaison Officer (FLO) in October 2023, having had previous roles within NSFT as a Clinical Support Worker and most recently as a Charge Nurse. He is also a Qualified Systemic Practitioner which helps him with the work he does alongside Kirk Wilson in supporting bereaved families and carers through the investigation and coronial process that follows a serious incident related to an individual under the Trust's care
"I chose to apply to be a baton bearer because it links so closely with the work we're doing supporting families, including those affected by suicide," Ian said. "I've also had my own rock-bottom moments too - back in 2008 I made an attempt on my own life. Thankfully I came out of that dark place mentally and have turned things around.
"Using my own lived experience, I'm just wanting to do what I can to support people. I'm in a privileged position of advocating for families so we can get them the answers they need."
Ian wants to share the importance of speaking up, even when it feels hard.
"If you see a change in your friend's behaviour, be brave enough to have that conversation with them," Ian said. "You won't make things worse or put ideas into their head. What you might do is give them the courage to open up, and that can make all the difference."
Kirk Wilson, Family Liaison Officer
Kirk Wilson (right) pictured with late friend Chris at Kirk's wedding reception in 2003.
Kirk joined NSFT after he retired from Norfolk Constabulary, where he spent the latter 15 years of his career as a FLO. Alongside Ian, he has supported dozens of families through the most difficult of times. In January this year, he was personally bereaved when his best friend Chris took his own life.
"He was the funniest man I've ever met, he was one of my best friends for over 40 years," Kirk said. "There are eight of us mates, and now there are seven. We went to school together, to gigs together, to each other's weddings. He leaves a massive hole in our lives."
Kirk said the experience had made his work even more personal: "I understand my families a lot more now. Although I wish it hadn't happened, it's made me a better FLO. I have a better understanding of their confusion, anger, and questions than I did.
"Carrying the baton is for Chris, for his family, and for every family I've supported. I'll have a photo of him printed on the back of my T-shirt on the day."
He added: "If just one person sees the Baton of Hope and thinks, 'I'm going to phone my mum, or my mate, or Samaritans,' that will be enough. And if it encourages more people to consider becoming a Family Liaison Officer, then welcome to the team."
Jade Morley, Storm Training Coordinator
Jade Morley will pay tribute to her grandad Bob at the Baton of Hope event.
Jade has worked at NSFT for ten years and took on her current role in December 2023, helping to roll out suicide and self-harm prevention training across the Trust. Her motivation to apply for the Baton of Hope comes from personal experience.
"Ten years ago, when I first joined the Trust, we lost my grandad Bob to suicide. He was absolutely brilliant. I always joke about how there's too much duct tape in the world now because he's not buying it all to do his botch DIY jobs," Jade said.
"It opened my eyes, because I had this stereotype that suicide only affected young people. Losing him showed me it can happen to anyone."
For Jade, the event is a chance to challenge the way people talk about suicide.
"We've got to stop being afraid of the word 'suicide'. We need to change our attitudes towards the language we use. Asking someone if they're thinking about committing suicide won't plant the idea in their mind - it will help them realise we want to help."
Jade is raising money through JustGiving for The Baton of Hope in memory of her Grandad Bob. To donate, please visit: http://bit.ly/4218mgB
Dr Faisil Sethi, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at NSFT, said: "We are incredibly proud of our colleagues who are representing NSFT in the Baton of Hope. By sharing their lived experiences so openly, they are helping to shape how we talk about suicide and mental health as a society."