Blackpool’s 100 Baton of Hope bearers will light the way for suicide awareness across the UK this September

One hundred local voices will carry powerful messages of love, loss and the need for urgent action across the whole of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast on Monday 1st September

Every step of the Blackpool Baton of Hope route will tell a story of courage and compassion for those lost, those left behind and those who have survived, as the team of inspiring Lancashire locals carry the famous Baton as a symbol of optimism and a call for change around the stigma of suicide.

The Baton will embark on the very beginning of its 2025 UK journey from the resort’s Village Hotel on Monday 1^st September at 8.30am and then be transported by foot, motorised vehicle, boat, horseback - and even by a few surprise methods - all the way across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre in a poignant demonstration of solidarity and support. A number of mini hubs will be available along the route, which will offer opportunities to discover local services that can offer support for mental health, wellness, physical health and more.

The Baton will also stop at local landmarks along the way - including Blackpool Football Club, the Blackpool Piers, Blackpool Zoo and top spots in Lytham and Fleetwood, before returning to the seafront to travel to the top of Blackpool Tower and finish the day on Blackpool Grand Theatre’s famous stage. An evening celebration event will then take place at Viva Blackpool hosted by local celebrity Charlotte Dawson and radio star Hayley Kay.

Solace Suicide Prevention & Bereavement Manager of Blackpool’s Empowerment Charity Samantha Southern has been instrumental in bringing this year’s Baton of Hope to Blackpool for the very first time.

As well as being the project lead for this momentous event for the town, Sam will be walking with the Baton on the day, along with her sister Charlotte Dawson, in remembrance of her husband Glen who took his own life in 2020.

Sam said: “When suicide swept into my life, it completely blindsided me. It detonated like an atomic bomb, leaving me and our six distraught children in the depths of despair. I was desperately trying to make sense of the aftermath while holding my family together, and, as a mum, I had to dig deep to find something within me just to keep going. We were broken. At times, I lost all hope. I felt the loneliest I have ever been, even with so many people around me. I never wanted another family or person to feel that alone.

“Carrying the Baton in 2023 was an incredible day. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged. There is so much power in connection, in community and in a true sense of belonging, and that’s why I knew we had to bring the Baton to the Fylde Coast. It’s an incredible initiative, truly bringing suicide out of the shadows. This is a lasting legacy we can build on, one that can ripple through the Fylde, Lancashire, and nationally. I am honoured and extremely proud of our town and the fact we have been given the opportunity to start the tour.”

Also taking part in the Blackpool route is May Cunningham from Bispham who will be walking for her daughter Melissa who was just 30 yrs old when she took her own life in August 2024. May said: “It was a massive shock getting that knock on the door to say Melissa had been found deceased. Melissa was such a beautiful, fun loving, caring person who had everything to live for, but thought she was a letdown to all. I am so honoured that her brother and I are going to be side by side on September 1^st to help publicise this huge silent killer that is devastating to millions of people. I could not have got through this year without the support from Solace at Empowerment. Never be scared to ask anyone that big question. It could just save their life.”

Caroline Denye and her six-year-old daughter Ava from Thornton Cleveleys lost a husband and a father to suicide in January 2023 and will be carrying the Baton for him next month. Caroline said: “Our world was torn apart, there were so many questions. Robert was a loving husband, dad and stepdad always thinking of others before himself. He just never spoke about how he was feeling. When he passed away I felt very alone until my counsellor mentioned Solace at Empowerment. Now I’ve met so many families that have suffered the same loss as myself and we all meet up regularly to talk, share and work through our grief. I am walking with the Baton in memory of my husband and I am excited to be part of the change. Let’s all talk. We are in this together.”

Sharon and Paul O'Gara’s daughter Mary took her own life on 30 May 2020 aged 27. Since Mary’s death they’ve made it their mission to raise awareness around mental health and help dispel the stigma associated to suicide. Sharon said: “Mary was a kind, considerate, generous and sometimes feisty young women with a smile that would light up a room.

“For us as a family, Mary left some powerful but obviously emotional words and it was these words that became the catalyst for ‘Mary’s Story’ and the birth of the Mary O’Gara Foundation - a not-for-profit charity committed to raising awareness and fostering empathetic conversations about suicide. We feel honoured to be bearers for the start of the Baton of Hope tour. It is a real privilege to be part of such an important and impactful event.”

Karen Strong is a local suicide survivor who said she applied to walk in the Baton of Hope “as living proof of hope after coming back from the absolute depths of despair and here I am living life, loving life, volunteering, having fun, enjoying my family and my first grandchild.” She added: “I want to carry it for me because I am proud of how far I have come from how low I was, and I want to carry it for other people to give them hope that it doesn't matter how dark and bleak life can be, you can come back from it and start living again.”

The Baton of Hope was founded in 2022 by fathers Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, who were inspired by personal loss and are committed to changing the conversation around suicide, with the Baton first being carried through the streets of the UK in 2023 as a unifying symbol of remembrance, hope and to mark the beginning of a national movement to highlight suicide awareness and prevention.

Following the 2025 Blackpool launch on Monday 1^st September, the tour will continue its path across the UK, travelling the length and breadth of the country before the finale event in London on 10^th October – which is World Mental Health Day. Members of the public are encouraged to line the streets every of step of the way and follow the route to hear these vitally important stories that need to be heard.

For further information on Blackpool’s opening leg of the Baton of Hope 2025 UK tour please visit www.empowermentcharity.org.uk/thebatonofhope

If you would like to offer your support or donate some time or resources, please email batonofhope@empowermentcharity.org.uk

Bringing the Baton of Hope to Blackpool is funded entirely by donations and fundraising efforts, so Empowerment would love to invite everyone to join the Big Puddle Jump and spread ripples of hope one puddle at a time! Find a puddle and jump in! Be creative and have fun. Wear costumes, invite friends, or find unique puddles. Then donate £1 to the campaign before posting your video or photo on social media @empowermentcharity. For further information on the Big Puddle Jump and how to get involved please visit  The Big Puddle Jump - How It Works