The hundreds of lives saved by one mental health support service on Merseyside
The Jade L Roberts Project opened its doors in 2022, in memory of the 26 year old who died by suicide in 2021.
Last updated 10th Sep 2024
A mental health crisis support centre on Merseyside says it's saved the lives of 530 people since opening its doors in Tuebrook just under two years ago.
The Jade L Roberts Project was launched in memory of the 26 year old, who died by suicide in 2021.
Now, her mum Tracy and her brother Jack are working with a team of counsellors to offer life-saving support to people who are suffering with suicidal ideation. The service currently receives no external funding, but they say their intervention work has already saved hundreds of people from going through with plans to take their own lives.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, we're shining a spotlight on the service which is trying to change the narrative on suicide and encourage open conversations about mental health and suicidal thoughts.
The Jade L Roberts Project supports 60 people per week through its counselling initiative. Jack Roberts, 20, is a mental health and suicide prevention worker: "If this was open before my sister passed away, I think she would still be alive. This place is absolutely amazing and I want people to know that there is hope when you walk through these doors and suicide is not the option, it really is not.
"I lost my sister at 17 and it has certainly changed my life. All I can say is that if you're close with your sisters and brothers, make sure you spend every moment with them and tell them that you love them because for all you know they could be suffering like my sister did and your life could change. At 20 years of age I'm now saving other people's lives and it wasn't meant to be my path, but it is now, so appreciate the moments.
He continued: "Suicide is at an all-time high, the highest it's been since 1999 in England and Wales, for numerous reasons. A lot of people are coming to us day in and day out who are in crisis or need support. We've reduced demand by opening a small project in Tuebrook in quite a deprived area. We're taking numbers away from GPs, mental health practitioners and the NHS as a whole, and we get no funding."
If you want to learn more about the support available you can visit the Jade L Roberts Project website to fill in a self-referral form or call the office on 0151 245 5671.