Memorial Event in the Borders for People Bereaved by Suicide

The fifth annual Memorial Event for People Bereaved by Suicide in the Scottish Borders will take place on Saturday 18 November from 2-3pm at Haining House, Selkirk.

The event, which coincides with International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, is open to anyone in the Scottish Borders who has been affected or bereaved by suicide. It will provide an opportunity for people to come together to remember loved ones who have been lost.

The event has been jointly organised by NHS Borders and Scottish Borders Council, as well as the After a Suicide Working Group - a group of volunteers with lived experience of bereavement by suicide.

On the day of the event, we will leave from Haining House car park at 2pm and walk to the Clootie Tree. Here, a service will be led by an interfaith minister, and there will be time to reflect and tie a ribbon to the tree, as well as songs from the Health in Harmony Choir and poetry. Following the event, a reflective walk around the loch will be led by Denise Carmichael from Walk It, to which all are invited.

Samaritans, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) and Quarriers will be available during the event to provide support and will be on hand with appropriate resources. Refreshments and support will also be available at the Samaritans office in Selkirk after the event.

Those who wish to attend the event are encouraged to register their interest here, but people are also welcome to turn up on the day.

Dr Rebecca Devine, Consultant in Public Health at NHS Borders, said: “In a close-knit community like the Borders, there is often a far-reaching impact when someone dies by suicide. We hope that this event will give people who have lost a loved one to suicide an opportunity to come together and celebrate the lives of those they have lost and realise that they are not alone.

“If you have been bereaved by suicide, it’s important to open up about how you’re feeling. Family and friends can be a great source of support. You can also access support over the phone or from a number of different online resources such as NHS Borders Wellbeing Point and the Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide website.”

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please talk to someone; speak to your GP, phone NHS24 Mental Health Hub on 111, Samaritans on 116 123 or Breathing Space 0800 838587. For information on looking after your own mental health and wellbeing and suicide prevention resources, visit www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/wellbeingpoint.

For further information or any queries about the Memorial Event, please contact Public Health on 01835 825970 or email health.improvement@borders.scot.nhs.uk.