Nickie Aiken, Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, was honoured to take part in the final leg of the Baton Of Hope, part of their campaign to raise awareness of suicide and tackle the stigma around mental health.
Founded by Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip after the deaths of their sons to suicide, Nickie was humbled to speak with the two fathers and hear their stories and passion to make a difference.
The baton set off from Glasgow two weeks ago and arrived in London, where with Darren Henry MP and Dean Russell MP, Nickie was proud to walk the baton from Horse Guards Parade to Downing Street. Nickie also took the opportunity to thank all the fantastic volunteers, organisers, baton carriers and everyone who made the event possible.
On average, 17 people take their own lives every day in the UK. Every single one is potentially preventable. It is within our power to bring about change, to lend a helping hand, and to make a difference. And by supporting inspirational charities like Baton of Hope, and local charities like The Listening Place in the Two Cities, we can make a huge difference.
No one is alone. Together, we can save lives and offer hope to those who are suffering in silence.
The Baton of Hope has some fantastic resources available to everyone. Find out more here.