Hull mental health campaigners are fundraising to install a suicide prevention bench with the help of former professional footballer Micky Hazard.
Dawn Stansfield, a trustee of mental health and suicide support charity Mysterious Minds, has been fundraising for one of Hazard’s special light-up benches. They act as a “beacon of hope” and have QR codes to signpost people in crisis to 24/7 mental health helplines.
Legend on the Bench was founded by the former Spurs and Chelsea player Hazard, following the loss of his nephew, Jay, who had mental health issues. Dawn tragically lost her daughter, Mollie Stansfield, when she fell from the roof of Princes Quay car park in 2019, aged just 22.
Dawn described losing a child to suicide as “so isolating”. She said: “We need a little bit of hope. There has got to be some hope somewhere.”
At the time of writing, the fundraiser on Just Giving has hit just over £200 of its £2,000 target. It is still accepting donations.
(Image: Supplied)
Dawn said: We think it is a marvellous idea and Hull would benefit from it. Obviously, our suicide rate in Hull is very, very bad. We just need some help out there. We need people to know they are not on their own.”
A report by Hull City Council, citing data from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities’ Fingertips, has found “mortality rates in Hull have been consistently higher than England over the entire period 2001-03 to 2021-23 for both men and women”.
Dawn added: “Suicide has a massive ripple effect. One person might take their life, but it can make other members of the family suicidal.
“Nobody knows when this is going to knock on their door. There are some people who have never shown any sign of mental health issues, and they’ve taken their own lives. Suicide has no age discrimination, we’re looking at young children up to men in their eighties.”
Four possible locations have been identified for the bench: the city centre, East Park, Humber Bridge county gardens, and West Park. Mysterious Minds hope to eventually be able to fund a bench in all four locations.
Dawn added: “Micky will be coming to install the bench and unveil it. I think it will be really good for us and Hull is an outstanding community and pulls together to help everybody in a time of crisis and suicide loss.