'It's something I can do for my dad' - the children carrying hope after a parent's suicide
We meet two carriers of the Olympic torch-style Baton of Hope ahead of its journey across the UK
Eloise's mum can't believe how far her daughter has come in the two years since her dad took his own life.
Tragically a life is lost to suicide every 90 minutes in the UK, and the reality of that shocking statistic hit home for Eloise in 2023.
In the early days, sometimes just leaving the house was too difficult.
But now she's signed up to take part in the Baton of Hope tour - an Olympics-style torch relay across the UK designed to raise awareness of suicide - starting in Blackpool on September the 1st.
Remembering a parent after suicide
Eloise told us: "I'm trying to turn my experience into a positive thing. It's obviously still really hard, but if I can make it a positive thing, that makes it better.
"It's something I can do for my dad. Something in memory of him and hopefully it'll make people speak about suicide more, and how they feel."
Eloise finished her exams earlier this summer, and sat down with us to talk about the impact suicide can have on the families of those left behind.
For someone so young, she speaks remarkably openly about her experience, and her memories of her dad: "He was just really funny, we just used to do so many random things!
"We used to do mountain biking together, during Covid we'd put on our rollerskates and go around the seafront with hockey sticks. I went shark diving with him in South Africa, we went swimming with seals. We'd go skateboarding, kiting on the beach, surfing. It was just crazy sometimes!"
"I do get emotional talking about him. I just talk about his life, how good he was and I like to speak about the good things we did together."
Baton of Hope carried by bereaved children
Mum Rebecca, from St Annes, is incredibly proud of her daughter, and what she's been able to achieve despite facing such a tragedy.
She told us: "I tell her constantly how proud I am. Two years ago I never thought we'd be at this point where she's finished her exams, done well at school and carrying the Baton in her dad's memory.
"We had a year of not leaving the house, so to get to this point is unbelievable."
Keeley's story
Also carrying the Baton in the first leg of the 2025 tour is Keeley from Blackpool - who lost her dad less than a year ago.
"He was just a typical jokey dad," she tells us: "He played pranks a lot, he was a typical loving dad."
Keeley tells us she was inspired to take part by the desire to raise awareness of suicide, an issue which still carries stigma in 2025: "I just wish people knew the impact it has on the family afterwards. It's the guilt that you carry and the upset that they're not here anymore."
Keeley will carry the Baton before it begins its journey around the country, ending in London in October. Each person carrying the baton has their own suicide story, something Keeley says carries extra poignancy for those taking part.
"I think its going to bring a lot of emotion, but also love at the same time, because I'm passing it on to the next person who is going through the same thing I am."
The Baton of Hope
The Baton of Hope was set up by two dads bereaved by suicide, who wanted to take action after suffering the unbearable tragedy of losing their sons.
In September and October, hundreds of runners will carry an ornately designed baton through Britain's streets as a show of solidarity with those impacted by suicide, to bring people together who might otherwise be struggling alone, and to act as a beacon of hope.
Its journey begins in Blackpool on September 1st, and ends with an event in London on October 10th (World Mental Health Day) having travelled through Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands.
Find out more about the Baton of Hope.
If you've been impacted by suicide and are looking for support, there are a range of sources available on the Hub of Hope