Yorkshire people bereaved to suicide unite to create memorial quilt

The Yorkshire Speak Their Name memorial quilt is a way for people to remember their loved one, and shine a light on the impact suicide has

Yorkshire
Author: Hannah NorburyPublished 29th Nov 2021

People across West Yorkshire bereaved to suicide are coming together to create a memorial quilt.

The Yorkshire Speak Their Name memorial quilt is a way for people to remember their loved one, and shine a light on the impact suicide has.

Anyone across Yorkshire, who is bereaved to suicide, can get involved and create their own square.

People don’t need to have specialist embroidery skills or any experience.

Karen Sykes from Wakefield is behind the project:

"Being bereaved to suicide, it's quite a complicated grief, it can leave you feeling quite isolated, quite lonely.

"I think the quilt and being part of the project is something positive.

"We want people to be together, it's about recognition, and behind every square there is an individual, and family or friends, bereaved to suicide. We're making a lasting piece of beauty.

"When you look at the statistics in 2019, Yorkshire had the highest number of suicides in England, so we have people out there who are bereaved to suicide, that can take part, so I believe it will be a massive quilt and it's about bringing everybody together to do that.

"I think it'll shine a light on the impact of suicide, it'll bring communities together, build resilience."

How can you get involved?

The group has set up several social media platforms. You can send them a message on twitter, or email yorkshirespeaktheirname@gmail.com.

There is also a a closed Facebook group that you can join.

Information sessions about future workshops will start in January 2022.

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