Derby is hosting “the baton of hope” tour for the UK’s largest suicide prevention event on the 13th of September, led by Claire Goring.
This tour is a city-wide day of free events initiated for suicide prevention for the first time in Derby.
The Baton of Hope is a nationwide tour staged in cities around the country, having been founded in 2022 by fathers Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, who were united by the loss of their sons.
In Derby, the event is led by Claire Goring, from Ilkeston, who is introducing the event after a devastating experience of her father taking his own life more than 20 years ago. Also, she was inspired to bring the Baton of Hope after being a baton bearer elsewhere.
Claire explained her experience of what her father was going through: “My dad had been suffering. He had a bad back and had been redeployed from his job. He just felt like he was useless.”
There are several events during the day. In Derby, around 100 ‘baton bearers’ who have been affected by suicide are processing around the city carrying the symbolic ‘baton’ in memory of loved ones who died by their own hand.
There is an extensive programme around the city raising awareness, boosting wellbeing, and bringing people together. Also, you will find signposting to mental health and well-being services available in Derby and Derbyshire.
The tour starts at Elvaston Castle at 7:00am, where there will be opening talks before a group of motorcyclists will carry the baton to the University of Derby in time for its first official ‘leg’ at 8:30 am.
From the university, the baton will be moved on foot by baton bearers to Darley Park, which will be filled with a family-friendly fair for the day, complete with stalls, choral performances, yoga sessions, and other activities designed to boost wellbeing.
Along with face painting, workout classes, therapy dogs, cake, coffee, and ice cream, there will be representatives from a wide range of groups, including Girlguiding, Derby School of Nursing, Everyone Active, and many more.
You can explore more information about the tour and its activations through their website. Also, if you’re looking for more information, you can contact Lucy Stephens at Penguin PR on lucy @ penguinpr.co.uk or call 0771 983 9446.
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