THE FIRST ever remembrance day for those bereaved by suicide is being held at Warwick Castle.
The remembrance day is being hosted by SOS Silence of Suicide, a national charity based in Warwick, and will feature music, spoken word and support.
It will be an opportunity to celebrate the lives of those lost to suicide while offering a safe space for those in pain to create a support network.
Attendees will be welcomed by the co-founders of the charity, Michael Mansfield and his wife Yvette Greenway-Mansfield. They will then hear from SOS celebrity supporter, Lady Colin Campbell, who has personal experience of suicide, on the importance of remembrance.
Crystal Gospel Choir will be performing and then attendees will be invited to take to the stage to share their own experience through poetry or spoken word.
The day has come about after SOS identified a lack of existence of a dedicated day of remembrance for those who have lost their lives to suicide – which according to data, was a staggering 6,588 people in 2022.
It has been launched on the ninth anniversary of Michael’s daughter Anna’s loss to suicide.
Yvette said: “Having been personally impacted by loss to suicide myself, I feel passionate about creating an annual event which will give those who are in the same position as myself, the opportunity to not only remember the life of their loved one, but also offer much needed support to those who are in pain.
“We hope our first Annual Remembrance Day provides those bereaved by suicide the opportunity to be a part of an uplifting evening, remembering lives lived and lost, and offering hope and light for the future.
“Each year, May 1 will be a special day for us all. We are extremely grateful to Warwick Castle for donating their beautiful and calm surroundings for our first ever event.”
SOS Silence of Suicide’s Annual Remembrance Day will be taking place at Warwick Castle on Wednesday May 1 at 6:30pm.
For more information visit https://sossilenceofsuicide.org/events/annual-remembrance-day-1-may-2024/
