Walk of HOPE returns to South Tyneside to raise awareness of suicide prevention

The sixth annual ‘Walk of HOPE’ event is set to return to South Tyneside as part of efforts to raise aware for suicide prevention on Saturday, September 21.

Organised by Angie Comerford, the co-founder of Hebburn Helps, the event sees people who have been impacted by suicide come together to remember loved ones and raise awareness about mental health struggles.

Angie lost her father, Brian Hannigan, to suicide in 2012 and has since then has worked tirelessly to help prevent others suffering such a terrible loss.

The 48-year-old has described the sixth annual walk as “bittersweet” and expressed that more still needs to be done to help people with mental health issues.

She said: “I can’t believe that this is the sixth one, it feels like they are flying by and while it is lovely to see the event continuing, it is also very bittersweet.

“Every year, more and more people who have been impacted by suicide are turning up which means that we are sadly still losing more people to it.

“This isn’t a sponsored event, I wanted to create something that can provide comfort to those have been impacted by suicide.

“The walk is emotional, we all laugh and cry together but we are also all there for each other.

“There still needs to be more done to help people with mental health problems, especially for younger people.

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“Through running the Hebburn Helps foodbank, we see that poverty and poor mental health go hand-in-hand and all the cuts to services means that there isn’t enough help.”

Walkers will set off at 5pm on Saturday, September 21, from Marsden Grotto and will travel along the 11-mile route to the Angel of the North - which usually takes around four hours.

Angie has revealed that there will be pizza at the start of the walk for anyone taking part, with walkers also set to carry a banner full of names of people who have been lost to suicide.

You can find out the full details about the Walk of HOPE by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068046670731.