“IT’S going to be a very emotional day.”
This weekend, the ‘Baton of Hope’ – the UK’s largest initiative that raises awareness and promotes prevention of suicide – will be carried around Jersey.
It will mark the first time the Island has joined the list of 20 UK destinations hosting the baton, as it makes its way around communities as a symbol of hope and togetherness for those who have been directly or indirectly affected by someone losing their life by suicide.
Lynne Capie, an organiser of the event and mental health first aider who has lost friends to suicide, alongside baton volunteer and mum to two sons, Gemma Ward, explained why they got involved in the project and what it means for the Island.
“I feel that there’s not enough awareness [in Jesey] which makes it difficult to talk about suicide,” Lynne said.
The pair will join volunteers from the community as well those representing the emergency services, army veterans and charities to pass the baton between twenty-five locations around the Island. They will include iconic sites such as Elizabeth Castle, the Royal Square, The Lido and Corbière Lighthouse.
Among those taking part at people who have lost a relative or friend to suicide as well as Islanders who have attempted to commit suicide themselves.
Lynne said: “The more we can get talking about suicide prevention and suicide awareness, the more we can tackle the determinants of poor mental health in the Island and provide the best chance we’ve got at preventing suicide.”
The debut appearance of the ‘Baton of Hope’ comes shortly after the government’s publication of its four-year Strategy for Suicide Prevention in Jersey – which outlines how the Island can meet a goal of zero suicides.
The report shows that between 2019 and 2021, Jersey had a standardised suicide death rate of 7.6 per 100,000 people, similar to the rate over the decade.
But as of 2022, the number of deaths due to suicide in Jersey “has been confirmed to be higher than ten”, the strategy document says. A rise of at least 30% in the 12 months from the year prior.
Gemma, who volunteered to carry the baton, explained that although she has not had a personal connection to suicide, she worries about children of a similar age to her own who have committed suicide, and what could happen if they aren’t signposted to awareness and support.
She said she is doing the walk so that “more mums don’t have to go through losing their children like this ever again”.
She said: “We’ve seen suicides in Jersey around that teenage years and I just think it’s not talked about as much as it should be”.
Lynne agreed and added that the event “is about promoting people start having conversation” and that while it begins with tragedy, “the whole thing is about hope”.
“It’s about hope that we can achieve the target of zero suicides taking place set out in the suicide prevention strategy.”
Explaining how Jersey could reach the target, she added: “We know that the determinants of mental ill health are about access to healthcare, access to community, access to nutrition, access to clean air, things like that.
“We have the opportunity to put those fundamental components together and look at the standard and quality of life that we have on this island”.
Preparing themselves for what Lynne said will be a “very emotional day”, the pair agreed that Sunday’s tour of the baton will be “incredibly poignant”.
Organisers are already looking into Jersey being on the ‘Baton of Hope’ tour again in future years.
Lynne then referenced the importance of continuing the conversation after the tour’s conclusion at Corbière Lighthouse on Sunday evening.
She said a key part of prevention is adopting a “joined-up approach” to suicide prevention.
“We need to put hope around all of this. That is going to involve primary care, tertiary care, our mental and adult health services, and it’s going to involve a joined-up approach.”
But Lynne added that the responsibility cannot lie with policymakers alone.
“We can talk about government all we like, but it’s about collective and community responsibility with suicide prevention,” she said. “Even though we’re all so busy, it starts with noticing when people aren’t right and about taking time to notice when someone doesn’t seem at their best and asking if they’re struggling.”
The baton will travel to 25 locations in Jersey at the following times on Sunday 28 September:
- 07:45 – Tour starts at Albert Quay
- 08:20 – Elizabeth Castle
- 09:00 – St Aubin
- 09:35 – The Colour Rooms (bottom of Beaumont Hill)
- 11:25 – Pomme D’Or Hotel
- 11:50 – States Chamber/Royal Square
- 12:25 – The Cenotaph
- 13:00 – Millennium Park
- 14:55 – The Lido
- 15:30 – Police Headquarters
- 18:35 – La Corbière
