THE founder of two groups in Helensburgh set up to provide mental health support for local residents has hailed the launch of a new group dedicated to reducing the number of suicides in Argyll and Bute.

The new suicide prevention group includes representatives from health and social care, police, the council and third sector organisations.

It aims to do more to ensure people who are at risk of suicide, and their families, feel able to ask for help and have access to skilled staff and well-coordinated support.

The group also wants to eliminate the stigma attached to suicide, provide better support to those left behind after a loved one has taken their own life, and to minimise the risk of suicide across the area.

Figures released by the National Records of Scotland in December revealed that the number of probable suicides in Argyll and Bute reached its highest level in 15 years during 2019.

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And while in strict numerical terms the Argyll and Bute increase is relatively small – 20 in 2019, compared to 18 the year before – the latest figures take the total number of deaths in the area registered as “probable suicide” to 65 in just four years.

John Lewis, who founded the Males’ Tales support group for local men in 2019, and followed that by setting up a Females Tales equivalent earlier this year, said: “We are a community led peer to peer and suicide prevention group.

“We provide a free, no pressure and non-judgemental environment for people to openly talk about their lives and support each other.

“I’m fully supportive of Argyll and Bute’s creation of a suicide prevention group and welcome the chance to make Argyll and Bute a ‘suicide safer community’.”

The work of the new group links in with the Scottish Government’s suicide prevention action plan, Every Life Matters, which has as its vision that suicide is preventable.

READ MORE: New Females Tales mental health support service for women in Helensburgh launched

Fiona Davies, the interim chief officer of the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership, who is also chair of the new group, said: “We all know that the last year in particular with the pandemic has been really difficult for many people and it is therefore really important that there is support available for people locally in Argyll and Bute.

“We are also very lucky to already have so many local groups and organisations who are providing support and advice locally within their local communities and we will continue to work very closely with them in their suicide prevention campaigns.

“It is important that not only do we support campaigns locally but we also link in national campaigns and national groups such as United to Prevent Suicide.”

Kirstie Cusick from United to Prevent Suicide said: “United to Prevent Suicide is a way to bring people together from across Scotland, including Argyll and Bute, so that we all have the confidence to talk about suicide and save lives. We are united in a shared belief that each and every one of us has a role to play in preventing suicide.”

Find out more at unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk.