The annual Hopewalk will take place in Harrogate‘s Valley Gardens this Sunday in support of Papyrus, a UK charity that aims to prevent suicide in young people.
Over the last six years Harrogate Grammar School has supported the event in memory of one of its students, Dom Sowa, who died by suicide in 2017.
Dom’s mother, Pat Sowa, has since become a campaigner for the charity.
This year marks the charity’s tenth anniversary and it is hoping the walks will be “bigger and better than ever”.
The walk will be held on Sunday (October 15) at 10am.
Participants meet at the entrance to Valley Gardens, walking through the Pinewoods and back again. To sign up click here.
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Harrogate mum raises awareness of suicide prevention after son’s death
Since Pat Sowa’s son, Dom, died of suicide in 2017 she has dedicated her life to helping people who are struggling with their mental health.
The Sowa family has lived in Harrogate for 23 years. Dom, a student at Harrogate Grammar School, was just 17 when he died.
Mrs Sowa said friends described Dom as “giggly with the kindest heart”. He played the saxophone and loved to be outdoors.
Looking back, she says she could see he was struggling; he had been withdrawing from friends and saying he felt “very sad”. But she said without the training she’s had now she didn’t know how to ask the right questions and help.
“It breaks my heart that I didn’t know the signs. I always say ‘we do our best but when we know more we do better’.
“And it’s true. Instead of people crossing their fingers or depending on the system to take care of their loved ones, through training they have the skills to know what to do to help.”
Dom Sowa
After losing Dom, Mrs Sowa left her job as a primary school headteacher and trained as a mental health first aid trainer.
She now works with North Yorkshire County Council in its Headfirst programme, which offers free mental health and suicide prevention training for anyone living or working in North Yorkshire, alongside her other work.
She is determined for more people to train as mental health first aiders. She says it is important for anyone struggling to feel as if they have someone who is their safe space to talk to.
Her mantra is:
“Get trained, save lives and be kind.”
Losing Dom turned the family upside down and Ms Sowa finds her work to promote suicide prevention has helped her “work through the devastation”.
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Ms Sowa also works closely with Papyrus, a charity dedicated to the prevention of youth suicide. It offers a helpline to people, runs training programmes and campaigns to get people talking about mental health.
Next weekend, Ms Sowa will join Dom’s former school, Harrogate Grammar School, on its fourth Hopewalk. It is part of a Papyrus initiative that includes a month of walks across the country to get people out and talking about mental health.
The four-mile route around Fewston reservoir takes place on October 17 at 10am.
Ged Flynn, chief executive of Papyrus, said:
“We would like to say a big thank you to Pat Sowa and all those who will we supporting the Hopewalk in memory of her son Dom.
“Every year Hopewalks raise awareness of suicide prevention and help us to continue giving hope to young people who are struggling with life.
“Generous fundraising and donations help to pay for potentially life-saving calls, texts and emails to our confidential HOPELINEUK service, which offers support and advice to young people and anyone who is worried about a young person who may be having thoughts of suicide.
“We believe that many young suicides are preventable and together we can all help to keep our communities suicide-safe.”
If you need support:
- Papyrus HOPELINEUK service on 0800 068 4141 between 9am and midnight
- Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123
Harrogate Grammar School is inviting people to join a walk next week in memory of a student who died of suicide.
Dom Sowa died in 2017 aged 17.
The school is taking part in a month of walks in the UK called Hopewalk, which raises money in support of Papyrus — a charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.
Harrogate Grammar, which has been supporting Hopewalk for the last four years, is holding a four-mile walk around Fewston reservoir on October 17 at 10am.
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It is inviting others to join in and help raise awareness of suicide prevention.
A map of the walk can be found here. The school is asking walkers to meet in the car park at point 1.
Ripon student is taking to the skies for charityA Ripon Grammar School student is planning to jump out of a plane at 10,000ft to raise money for a teenage suicide prevention charity.
Robyn Munday, who will complete the skydive on July 10, said:
“This is not something I would do without good reason.
“I have struggled with my mental health in my teenage years but have family and friends around me who are patient, compassionate, understanding, and loving – which has been just what I needed.
“However, not every young person is so lucky.”
The 17-year-old has set a fundraising target of £750 and is already more than half way there. She is covering the cost of the skydive herself.
The money will go to Papyrus, which is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.
It provides confidential support and advice to young people through its helpline – Hopeline UK – and runs training programmes to teach suicide prevention skills to staff at schools, healthcare providers and local councils.
In 2017, more than 338,000 young people were referred to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), but fewer than a third received treatment within a year, according to the Local Government Association.
Robyn is a sixth-form student at Ripon Grammar School
Robyn added:
“This can leave young people feeling despondent and lonely, and ultimately let down and not cared about. That’s why I would like to do something to help those young people who don’t get the help they need.
“I’ve chosen to support the charity Papyrus, and so I’m doing this crazy skydive to help raise much-needed funds for them.
“I want to help ensure that more young people are able to talk and receive the help they deserve.”
To donate, visit Robyn’s JustGiving page and for more information about the charity visit papyrus-uk.org.
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