24 Sep The Baton of Hope is nearly here…

Brighton, 2023

The Baton of Hope is coming, and it is coming soon – next Tuesday.

The Baton (think Olympic torch without the flame) has been working its way around the UK since September 1^st and comes to Torbay on Tuesday, September 30^th, the only port of call in the South West.

The Baton is the biggest suicide prevention initiative in the country and is growing. It started its journey in Blackpool before hopping over to Newry in Northern Ireland, visiting West Lothian, and then weaving its way around England and over to Jersey before coming here.

A great deal of planning has gone into the visit, not least getting out the right messages, and recruiting more than 100 baton bearers, all of whom have been touched by suicide and each with their own, often heart-rending stories to tell.

Sadly, Torbay has a much higher than average suicide rate at around 20 people per year,  the majority of whom are men, making it the leading cause of death in 15-34 year olds. It is also estimated that up to 2,700 people in the Bay are impacted by suicide every year.

Only relatively recently did the stigma around suicide begin to lift, and it is no longer a crime, nor a sin. At last, it has been recognised as a mental health issue and one that we need to address urgently.

The more people who talk openly about mental health and suicide, spot the signs, ask the right questions, and listen without judgement, the bigger a difference we can make. We might never know that we have saved a life by simply talking to someone, but surely we don’t need to?

We want the Baton of Hope Torbay to have a lasting legacy. Changing how people talk about mental health and suicide is key to this. As such, we have created the Torbay Baton of Hope Legacy Pledge and aim to collect as many signatures as possible!​

Suicide is everyone’s business, so please sign up today, personally or on behalf of your organisation/company and help #BringHope2TheBay.  You can pledge your support on the Torbay Baton of Hope website.

It is a simple pledge that hundreds of people have already signed:
I/We pledge to treat mental health with the same urgency & importance as physical health.

I/We will…

• Speak openly about mental health,

• Ask directly about suicide when needed,

• Listen with compassion & without judgment.

The relay from Torquay to Brixham and back again will involve more than 100 Baton Bearers who will be carrying the Baton as a symbol of hope – whether that’s in memory of someone lost to suicide, suicide survivors carrying the baton for themselves or as suicide prevention advocates.

Taking the whole day, the walk will leave the Torquay Hope Hub (which will have a live tour screen, entertainment, refreshments and wellbeing related stalls) in Princess Gardens and go through Torquay,  and onto Paignton before taking a short detour to South Devon College before returning to the Stem Railway Station and boarding a train to Churston, where the train will halt to allow passengers off for the fist time in more than seven years.

From Churston, it will be taken to Brixham Rugby Club, from where it will be walked via Berry Head down into town, where it will be picked up by the lifeboat and carried back across the Bay.

Members of the public are encouraged to support our Baton Bearers by standing along the route (outlined on the website) and cheering them on along this emotional journey

There will be wellbeing events all along the route, and the tour will culminate in the BIG Show of Hope at the Riviera International Centre, a gala performance from 7pm to 10:30 pm. It promises a night of Comedy, Magic, Music and most importantly, Hope!

The lineup features Hal Cruttenden, one of the top stand-up comedians working in the UK today, as well as being a highly accomplished writer and actor.

Also featured is Luke Friend, an award-winning singer-songwriter who sprang to fame after winning “TeenStar” and being the star of the X Factor series 10.

And last but not least, taking to the stage is Ada Campe, an award-winning variety artiste, cabaret performer, comedian and magician with an eclectic portfolio.

Tickets start at £14.99 and can be bought from the website, with any profits being used to set up a legacy fund to target suicide prevention initiatives in the Bay aimed at reducing our higher-than-average suicide rate.