We were excited to be a part of the 2025 Baton of Hope UK tour, the UK's largest suicide prevention initiative, welcoming the tour to our Canterbury Safe Haven on 22 September.

Focused on collaborating with partners, fellow charities and communities, the Baton of Hope is working tirelessly to make suicide prevention a top priority.

Beginning in Medway before passing through Maidstone, the Baton of Hope arrived at the Canterbury Safe Haven following a speech by award-winning mental health campaigner Ben West at a 'Together for Hope' event at Canterbury Christ Church.

Erge Kizilors, Team Manager at Canterbury Safe Haven said, "It was an incredibly powerful event, bringing together professionals and individuals who shared the belief that suicide is preventable. Ben West delivered a fantastic talk on how we can remove barriers by working together and changing systems. Despite people coming together to discuss such a sad subject, laughter filled the room, highlighting the power of hope."

Megan Hannant, Team Manager at Gillingham Safe Haven, was one of the baton bearers for the Kent and Medway section of the tour. She said, "I wanted to become a baton bearer not only to show our community my commitment to making a difference but as a symbol of my own journey with mental health and suicide."

"I think the ethos of Gillingham Safe Haven, Mental Health Matters and Sunlight Development Trust aligns perfectly with the Baton of Hope. I really hope this carries on in the years to come and more people feel brave enough to share their stories and beat the stigma of mental health."