A SUICIDE prevention initiative is set to tour West Lothian later this year to raise awareness about how society approaches the issue.
The Baton of Hope tour is set to march the UK, with West Lothian being its only Scottish stop.
This leg of the tour is being organised by Neil’s Hugs Foundation, a charity dedicated to assisting those affected by the attempted or completed suicide of those close to them.
It will begin at Linlithgow Palace and will end at West Lothian College with a special event for baton bearers, their families, and invited guests.
The Baton of Hope was founded by Mike McCarthy, whose son Ross took his own life in 2021, and Steve Phillip who lost his own son to suicide in 2019.
The pair decided to create the charity to advocate for a change in UK suicide prevention policy, with objectives such as boosting the national conversation around the issue, providing training on suicide prevention in the workplace, and creating better signposting for those in need of support.
This year, the Baton of Hope tour begins in Blackpool on 1 September, before moving up through Newry and arriving in West Lothian on 3 September.
Stops in the area include: Linlithgow, Broxburn, Armadale, Bathgate, Blackburn, Bents and Stoneyburn, and Livingston.
The route will then move through 17 other locations, including Cumbria, Norwich and Wrexham, before ending in London for a final event on 10 October.
The Scottish portion of the relay is organised by Neil’s Hugs Foundation which was founded by Donna Paterson-Harvie whose son Neil took his own life in 2011, and who is now dedicated to supporting those affected by suicide in West Lothian.
Many individuals will be involved with baton-bearing for the tour, with sections being between 200m and 500m long.
West Lothian Council shared information about Baton for Hope yesterday, saying: “The UK’s largest ever suicide prevention initiative is coming to West Lothian.
“The Baton of Hope Tour, is coming to West Lothian on Friday 5th September and has officially entered the 10-week countdown
“The Baton of Hope Tour aims to bring about change in how we as a a society approach suicide. In how we talk about it and in how we support those affected by it.
“West Lothian is the only Scottish stop on the tour. Please see the poster below for details. Come along on the day and provide your support to the baton bearers.
“If you or someone you know is affected by suicide, please reach out to support available at Neil’s Hugs Foundation via telephone on 07446 717501 or email at [email protected] or Samaritans free 24/7 by phoning 116 123 via email on [email protected]”
