Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Hello SOS supporters, welcome back to another edition of the Connect Newsletter with Suicide or Survive.
In this Newsletter, you are going to hear some amazing stories from fundraisers & supporters, as well as have a look at some upcoming programmes and events.
Firstly, do not forget SOS are continuing to provide mental health webinars via online platform. We have a schedule throughout September and October and all the details are found on our website. We really look forward to welcoming you on to our programmes.
Then have a read of Sophie Conboy’s story, she is taking part in the 20-4-21 campaign.
“I would never want anyone to suffer alone like I felt I was, and I hope that my participation in 20-4-21 can raise awareness of the work that SOS do so that if anyone I know is struggling, they know that there is someone out there who can help them.”
Thank you so much to Sophie and all the 20-4-21 team who continue to raise much needed funding but also awareness of suicide and mental health.
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day, and we have a special event planned for the occasion, be sure to check out all the details below and share with your friends and family. Join with many others across the world who are playing their part in the prevention of suicide.
We often hear these words: “How can I help SOS?”. Check out our top 4 ways you can help support us and our mission to break down the stigma of mental health and suicide in Ireland. Thank you so much for all your ongoing support, it means the world to us all.
Lastly the SOS team are moving our headquarters from Shankill to Dublin and are very busy with the new move and a new staff member, we are growing so we can continue our work, thank you so much for the support!
As we come out of the summer months and the weather starts to turn and the nights get darker, remember to look after yourself, look after each other and don’t forget, you are never alone.
We hope you enjoy this edition of the Connect Newsletter and be sure to check out our website for more information on programmes, fundraisers, and support.
Aisling Farrell
and the SOS team.
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day.
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was established in 2003 in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is a significant advocacy and communication based event aimed at reaching national organisations, governments and the general public, giving a singular message that
suicide can be prevented.
To mark this day, Suicide or Survive will be hosting a series of webinars with very special guests Mick Finnegan and Lisa Jacob.
Mick is the National Advisor with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Student at Trinity College Dublin. His story is one of resilience, and is a testament to the power that love and human connection have to heal us.
Taking place September 10th at 2pm
Register for Mick’s free webinar here
Lisa is the Manager of the Irish Women’s Hockey team. Lisa will talk with us about women in sport , leadership & the effects of the pandemic on work & daily life. Lisa is also a WRAP facilitator with SOS and is fresh back home from Tokyo where she attended the Olympic Games.
Taking place September 10th at 11am
Register for Lisa’s free webinar here
Sophie Conboy – 20-4-21 Challenge
I heard about the 20-4-21 challenge through my uncle, Eamonn, who took part in it last year. At first I was a bit intimidated by the huge amount of kilometres we had to cover in what seemed to be such a short time. However, I was excited to push myself and so I agreed to take part this year. It has been tough at times with college stresses and bad weather making you want to just stay at home in bed but the rest of the team have been so encouraging and seeing them smashing their goals throughout the challenge has pushed me to keep powering through.
I joined the 20-4-21 team for a number of reasons.
The main reason is that when I was in secondary school, suffering from depression and anxiety I had never heard of any organisation such as SOS. I felt so alone and had no clue where to turn for help. At that time I truly believed that the only person who could help me was myself. Having since learned about SOS and the work they do, not only for individuals who are suffering from mental illness but also those close to them, I really wanted to raise awareness of this. I would never want anyone to suffer alone like I felt I was and I hope that my participation in 20-4-21 can raise awareness of the work that SOS do so that if anyone I know is struggling, they know that there is someone out there who can help them.
To donate to this cause, please click here
Meet the Team
Conor McKeogh joined team SOS in August 2021 as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator and lives in Dublin. A journalist with experience in tech start-ups and crisis management, he received his bachelor’s degree from Griffith College Dublin.
Conor’s background includes extensive coverage of societal issues such as suicide prevention, homelessness, mental-health awareness and, most recently, online disinformation.
A keen sportsman, he enjoys playing golf and tennis in his spare time, while also surfing, hiking and skiing all around the world.
Here’s a few ways how you can help Suicide or Survive
1. Donate or Fundraise. Thanks to our supporters we are able to provide programmes at a low cost. If you are interested in a fundraiser, weather that be an abseil, tea break, street collection, or a marathon then get in touch with Anthony at Anthony@suicideorsurvive.ie or if you would like to send us a donation you can visit here
2. Programmes. Get one of our mental health programmes into your community. We provide programmes all over Ireland and would be delighted to talk to you about brining one to your area. Contact Catherine at catherine@suicideorsurvive.ie for more information or visit this link.
3. Social Media. Follow us on social media and help us spread our message of resillience, hope and breaking the stigma of mental health. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
4. Charity Partner. Is your workplace invested in breaking down the stigma of mental health? We would love to partner with organisation as their official charity partnership. To learn more about this contact Catherine on catherine@suicideorsurvive.ie.
Previous partners have been SKY Ireland, PayPal and Kuehne + Nagel.
SOS have plenty of programmes coming up in the next few months.
Check out our website events calendar where you can find webinars each week, an upcoming WRAP programme in September and more to follow before the end of the year.
Don’t forget World Suicide Prevention Day is Sept 10th and World Mental Health Day is Oct 10th, so if you are looking to break down the stigma of mental health, get in touch with our Programmes Coordinator Catherine and she will be happy to talk you through our work but book soon as our calendar is filling up fast!
Email: Catherine@suicideorsurvive.ie
Phone: 01 272 2158
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