Northamptonshire on the route for the Baton of Hope 2025
It's a year today until the mental health initiative heads through the county on 19th September next year.
Last updated 19th Sep 2024
Following the success of the very first relay in 2023, the Baton of Hope is working with teams across the UK for an even bigger event in 2025.
The Baton of Hope is an awareness raising tour of the UK, taking a Baton, not unlike an Olympic baton, across towns and cities, in the country's largest ever suicide prevention initiative.
Local mental health charities are supporting the work of Baton of Hope at each of it's destinations.
The baton's first tour was, as its founders intended, the UK’s largest ever suicide prevention initiative. Founded in 2022 by Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, the event came into being following the deaths of their sons.
The project's lead cause, when it heads through Northamptonshire in 2025, spreading the message of suicide prevention and support, is Wellingborough charity Kelly's Heroes.
The organisation was set up by the family of Kelly Hewitt from Wellingborough, who tragically took her own life in 2018.
CEO Sherry Adams explained more:
"Kelly's family wanted to form a movement in 2019 to offer help to those feeling in the depths of despair and to raise awareness of an important topic.
"We were excited by the prospect of leading a project, like the Baton of Hope, on behalf of the county. Though it's bitter sweet to think of the lives which have been lost to bring this all about."
The fluted column, in the baton, that is the handle symbolises "strength and determination".
Sherry says that they're working with organisers to put activities together, at the moment, and that they would like to hear from local businesses who may want to be involved.