A CHARITY for people on the verge of suicide is urging families who have lost a loved one to help with research which could save lives.

Suicide Crisis has supported hundreds of people across Gloucestershire since being launched four years ago, and in that time nobody under the charity’s care has died.

Now the Cheltenham-based charity, which offers 24-7 one-on-one support, wants to hear from the families of those who have taken their own life in order to learn more about what leads to people committing suicide, particularly any apparent failures by local mental health authorities.

Joy Hibbins, the charity’s founder and CEO, said: “Every time I read about another person dying by suicide in the county, it’s distressing. I wonder whether they knew about our Suicide Crisis Centre. ‘If they had known about our Crisis Centre, would they have come to us?’ I always think.

“We haven’t had a suicide of a client under our care for the four years that we have been providing services and we are so pleased that they have all survived.

“However I feel immense personal sadness that people are still dying in the county. We need to find out what more can be done to help ensure that more people survive.

“Part of our research involves attending inquests. Although the coroner passes some information after each inquest to Public Health for their suicide audit, there is a lot of detail at inquests which is not currently being scrutinised. From the inquests that we are attending, we are already finding out important information.

“Sometimes families hear about our charity after the death by suicide of their loved one and make contact to tell us where they feel local services may have let their loved one down.

“We have gained extremely important information from families in this way and this is forming a vital part of our research. We know that bereaved families often tell us they want to do all that they can to help prevent other people experiencing a death by suicide in their family.

“Families often tell us that they didn’t know about our Suicide Crisis Centre before their loved one died and so part of the research will also focus on what we need to do to make sure that more people know about us.

“Recently a bereaved mum broke down as she was leaving our centre and said ‘I wish my son had known about you’. It was heart-breaking.”

Families who have recently lost someone to suicide can contact Joy on 07889 420 200 or via the website www.suicidecrisis.co.uk

The focus of the research is on inquests which are taking place over the next 12 months, although this may be extended to ensure all families who contact the charity are included.

Suicide Crisis can also provide support to families at the inquest.

The charity would also welcome volunteers to help with the research project. Former court reporters and people with secretarial skills to help record notes at inquests are needed.