Members of the Somerset community are invited to join Somerset Council’s Walk for a Life event as it returns for a fourth year on Saturday 6th September.
Organised by Somerset Council’s Public Health team in partnership with various statutory and voluntary sector organisations, the event is held to remember those who have lost their lives to suicide, raise awareness and promote open conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.
Starting at 10.30am from the Quaker Meeting House, 13 Bath Place, Taunton, participants will follow a gentle, accessible route through Taunton town centre, stopping in Vivary Park at the “Afterlife” bench to lay flowers to commemorate loved ones. The bench, donated by Netflix to commemorate Ricky Gervais’ ‘After Life’ series, serves as a place for people to visit for quiet reflection and remembrance. The bench is part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage open conversations around mental health and suicide prevention.
The route is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs and well behaved dogs on short leads are welcome.
One person dies by suicide in England every 90 minutes and new statistics from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey showed that 1 in 4 people will experience thoughts of suicide at some point in their lives and 1 in 13 people will attempt to take their own lives.
This walk offers a space for reflection, remembrance and action; to empower individuals and communities across Somerset to talk openly about mental health, to reduce stigma and support people to access help before they reach crisis.
Councillor Graham Oakes, Lead Member for Public Health, Climate Change and Environment, said:
“I want to invite everyone to come and join the Walk for a Life event on Saturday 6 September and be part of a united effort to raise awareness, support one another and to remind people that help is always available.
“Whether you’re walking in memory of a loved one or to show your support for suicide prevention, your presence matters.”
Post-walk refreshments and support will be available from 12pm to 1pm, where attendees can connect with a range of local support organisations offering information, advice and a listening ear.
Organisations attending include:
- Open Mental Health
- Mind in Somerset
- Somerset Suicide Bereavement Support Service
- Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
- Somerset Council
- 2BU Somerset
- Young Somerset
- Taunton Samaritans
- Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP)
- Somerset Drug & Alcohol Service (SDAS)
- Help for Heroes
- Healthwatch Somerset
- Our Somerset
- Talk Club
Squares from the ‘Speak Their Name’ Memorial Quilt – a powerful community artwork created by people across Somerset in memory of loved ones lost to suicide, will be on display at the event.
For more information and to contribute a square, please contact speaktheirname@mindinsomerset.org.uk. Mind in Somerset will then arrange to send you an information pack to get you started.
For more information and support, visit: https://walkforalife.org.uk. If you or someone you know is struggling, call Mindline – Somerset’s 24/7 mental health helpline:
Local: 01823 276 892
Freephone: 0800 138 1692
