Baton of Hope tour brings vital conversation on suicide to North Lincolnshire

The Baton of Hope, a top-ranking suicide prevention endeavour in the UK, has recently paid a visit to North Lincolnshire, its first in the area. Its journey started from British Steel’s Scunthorpe site and is set to travel through seven key locations, carried by 120 committed baton bearers. The initiative was launched in 2022 by Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, two fathers grieving the devastating loss of their sons to suicide. Their purpose is to start an open conversation on this urgent matter, breaking the lingering silence surrounding it.

Baton bearer and North Lincolnshire native Charlotte Lister, 38, who tragically lost a cousin to suicide, stressed the urgent need for honest discussion about the matter. She said, ‘Mental health is no longer a taboo, but sadly suicide still is.’

Commencing from Scunthorpe steelworks where it was carried by Ms Lister, the baton then travelled to several important locations including Scunthorpe United FC’s stadium, North Lindsey College, and the Humber Bridge. Chris Harrison, an emergency services manager and also a baton bearer, spoke about his close personal experience with suicide, having recently lost a cousin himself.

Co-initiator of the campaign, Mike McCarthy, spoke with the hope that the baton’s journey sparks conversations about suicide, underlining the need for individuals to openly share their emotional challenges, instead of repressing them. The campaign now moves to Norwich, leaving a lasting impact and an imperative discussion behind in North Lincolnshire.

This article is a revision of original reporting from www.bbc.com, adapted by The Lincoln Post.