By Lesley Walsh
A NEW counselling and therapy service has been launched by a group working tirelessly to stem the growing tide of suicide.
Ards Suicide Awareness Group has launched the service for those in need of support and a listening ear, in what has been described as a ‘landmark year’ for the volunteer organisation.
The group continues to play a vital role in supporting mental health and suicide awareness across the Newtownards area after being formed in response to a number of tragic suicides in 2014 and 2015, including the loss of two young men in the community.
“After 12 months of dedicated work, the group partnered with counsellor Kenny Greenhill, of Enhance Your Wellbeing, and secured additional support from UHub in Bangor,” said group committee member, Steven Irvine, an Independent councillor on Ards and North Down Council.
“This collaboration now enables access to a wide range of specialised counselling and therapeutic services for residents across the borough,” he added.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward in providing practical, accessible mental health support within the community.”
The group requires continued fundraising efforts to sustain and expand these services in the future and will this weekend host its annual ‘Steps to Hope’ walk, to help fulfil those ambitions.
The event, taking place on Saturday, May 9, will bring walkers together to offer a ‘safe and supportive space for individuals to come together, whether for reflection, conversation, or solidarity’. Walkers will gather at Ards Rangers Football Club at 4.15am and proceed around the new greenway at the Floodgates.
The walk follows another major effort taken in recent weeks, when local supporters, Jack Pennell and Simon Bickerstaff, carried out an extreme endurance challenge to raise awareness and funds for the group’s new counselling service.
“Their challenge was as demanding as it was inspiring: running four miles every four hours for 48 consecutive hours. Battling exhaustion, disrupted sleep, physical strain and the mental challenge of pushing through each stage, the pair showed remarkable resilience and commitment to the cause,” said Mr Irvine.
“Their effort culminated in a final run up Scrabo Hill, finishing at Scrabo Tower on Sunday morning. Overlooking Newtownards and the surrounding community, the location was a fitting and emotional end point symbolising hope, reflection, and the very people they set out to support.
“Their achievement not only raised essential funds but also sent a powerful message about perseverance, community spirit, and the importance of standing together in support of mental health,” he said.
The group’s initiatives follow its foundation in 2015, when it came together for a clear purpose, to unite against the scourge of suicide and break down the stigma surrounding mental health.
Rev. Stephen Doherty, a former member who helped establish the group, had been moved to act following a heartfelt appeal from the late Trish Connor, whose son was among those lost to suicide.
Since its formation, the group has focused on raising awareness, encouraging open conversations, and promoting the message that ‘it’s OK not to be OK’ and has dedicated seven memorial benches across the borough, including one at Ards Rangers Football Club in memory of the late alderman Jimmy Menagh.
Benches have also been installed in the Glen and Scrabo estates, in the West Winds, and at Queen’s Street, with another location soon to be confirmed.
“It’s all about raising the profile of mental health and suicide awareness and breaking down the stigma attached to it,” stressed Mr Irvine. “It’s about empowering the community to support one another as best we can. It’s incredibly encouraging to see these benches being used and respected within the community.”
