Breaking The Silence raising suicide awareness

A small voluntary group based in Cobh has trained 600 people this year in suicide intervention and prevention. Breaking The Silence is a group of people connected to the common cause of equipping members of the public with suicide intervention skills they need to protect people at the risk of suicide.

This voluntary group provide free training programmes to the community and to date this year they have trained approximately 600 people in the skills and attendees at these courses came from all over Cork city and county and from all backgrounds.

With people under more pressure now more than ever, Breaking The Silence are asking people to be more suicide alert and consider the possibility of attending one of these free courses to get the skills to deal with a person at risk.

The Cobh based voluntary group works to help create a 'Suicide Safer Community' by connecting the person at risk of suicide with life preserving resources. As they are an entirely voluntary group they could not do the work they do without the support of the community.

A special fundraising concert in aid of the charity will take place in Rob Roy Bar on Saturday 11 August with local U2 tribute band accompanied by special guests entertaining for the night. The band play this gig annually and raise money for different charities and they chose Breaking The Silence as their chosen charity this year. Music fans are promised a vibrant journey through U2's widely acclaimed catalogue and entry to the concert is free.

The management and staff at Jack Doyles Bar in Cobh also ran a table quiz on behalf of the charity and raised €332 for them. The money raised will go entirely to the provision of free suicide intervention and prevention training in the local community. Members of the charity will also be taking part in the upcoming Ladies Mini Marathon on 16 September to raise much needed funds of Breaking The Silence.

If  you would like information on upcoming courses with Breaking The Silence email breakingthesilencecobh@gmail.com or look for their Facebook  page by searching for 'Breaking The Silence Cobh'