Posted: Fri 6th Sep 2019

Flintshire Council leader asks colleagues to back male suicide prevention campaign

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Friday, Sep 6th, 2019

The leader of Flintshire Council has asked his colleagues to back a campaign aimed at reducing the numbers of deaths caused by suicide among men. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The #IPledge2Talk campaign was launched by South Wales-based Assembly Member Eluned Morgan earlier this year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It comes as figures show that more than 300 people die by suicide in Wales each year and in 2017, more than three quarters of the 360 lives lost were men. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As a result, Ms Morgan is encouraging more people to reach out and open up about their feelings. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The scheme has received the backing of Flintshire’s Labour leader Ian Roberts, who wants to see work to improve mental health rolled out across the county. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a motion set to go before councillors next week, he said it was important for the council to set an example by helping to reduce suicide rates. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “This authority supports the #IPledge2Talk suicide prevention campaign and will work to support positive mental health across Flintshire communities, in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“As a local authority, we acknowledge our crucial role in promoting awareness of this issue. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Encouraging mental well-being should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, education, community safety and planning. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Throughout its work the authority will champion mental health on an individual and strategic basis.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

According to the campaign, men are less likely than women to seek help or express their feelings if they experience depressive or suicidal thoughts. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ms Morgan said there was an ‘undeniable’ trend in male suicide which needed to be confronted. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Pledge cards have been designed by mental health charity Mind Cymru as a central part of the initiative, which set out steps people experiencing depression can take to find support. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The motion put forward by Cllr Roberts will be voted on at a meeting of all councillors in Flintshire being held on Wednesday. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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