The story and creator behind 'Cards of hope'
- Aug 26, 2024
- 3 min read
Hello, I am Niamh Buckell, I am 19 years old, from the United Kingdom and started this project on the 26/08/2024. I've actually started this project from a psychiatric ward as I struggle greatly with my mental health and have done for years. This past year has been the toughest for me, having multiple psychiatric admissions under section and making many attempts to end my life. I also have some very close friends who too have been in a similar position to me.
So that leads on to why I started this project, As September is "National Suicide prevention month" it felt like the perfect time to launch it. In June 2024 I made the most serious attempt on taking my life and was almost successful, had it not been for two incredible strangers who pulled me of the wall of the 200m high bridge that I was about to jump off of. One thing I noticed, whilst on the bridge was the pure lack of suicide prevention and awareness signage, I know for a fact that an alleged 200 people have unfortunately succesfully commited suicide on this bridge, and there isn't even a figure for the attempted suicides (Which are just as serious and concerning). I also found myself in a suicidal state again, by my local railway line back in January 2024 and this particular part of the line was easily accessible and had no 'danger' signs or suicide prevention/awareness signage up at all. There wasn't a single helpline in sight! After reflecting on mine and others experiences I became determined to make a positive change to my local community by returning to these locations, and putting up anti-suicide/positive mental health quotes and most importantly-Helplines to support those in crisis like I was. These resources I am planning to put up are in the form of colourful, laminated cards. I hope that they can make those in crisis feel less alone and empower them to reach out for help, potentially saving lives...
As I can't help but wonder, could some of the 200 alleged suicides on the bridge i've talked about had been prevented, if there had been re-assuring/comforting quotes and cards that direct the individuals in crisis to charities/organisations that can help them.
I really want to reduce the amount of suicides occuring in my local community and hope I can do that with this project. I also have a petition live, called "Make Itchen Bridge Safer" that i'm hoping to capture my local governments attention with, in the hopes that they will read it + my story on there and finally install at a minimum safety barriers and cctv on the bridge to reduce the suicides occuring on it, as it currently has no safety features since it's opening in 1977. The link to my petition can be found below: It would be greatly appreciated if you could please sign + share it!
If you haven't already guessed by now, as a young person and an inspiring mental health advocate I am also doing everything in my power to support charities that make a positive difference to the world/UK. I've currently got an ongoing fundraiser for YoungMinds.
Young minds YoungMinds provides young people with tools to look after their mental health. They empower adults to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives. And they amplify young voices to change the world we live in. Young minds is a charity very close to my heart as i've struggled with my mental health from a very young age and have always found their website/resources useful. So far, as a way of giving back to them for helping me, i've raised over £800 through GoFundMe and in the future (Once I am discharged from hospital) I am planning to do a charity sky-dive for them to raise further funds and hopefully reach my fundraising target of £1000. Link to my go fund me and the YoungMinds website can be found below, any donations or sharing of the fundraiser will be greatly appreciated!
Go fund me: https://gofund.me/4e9af10a
YoungMinds website: YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds (bing.com)
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