Pieta House to launch Rural Suicide Intervention Initiative in Kells

In Kells next week, Joan Freeman, CEO of Pieta House the suicide and self-harm crisis centre, and TD Helen McEntee will officially launch Pieta House’s Rural Suicide Intervention Initiative – the biggest of its kind to date.  It is part of the Mind Our Men campaign, which aims to reduce male suicide in Ireland. This new initiative will focus specifically on rural Ireland with Pieta House teaming up with the IFA, the ICA, the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc to collaborate in the fight against suicide by educating and equipping half a million men and women in the rural and farming communities to Spot the Signs and save a life.

Helen McEntee will attend along with representatives from farming organisations who are partnering with Pieta House on this initiative including the IFA, ICA, Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture.

Because eight out of every 10 suicides in Ireland are male. Pieta House have decided to target the second phase of this campaign on rural Ireland because factors such as isolation, loneliness, crop failure, lack of fodder and loss of animals cause huge emotional stress for farmers which, in turn, is increasing numbers of suicide in rural Ireland.

The Mind Our Men campaign equips the public with the skills needed to reach out to the men in their lives during times of crisis. As part of Pieta House’s partnership with these farming organisations, they will provide training to some members on how to spot the signs and symptoms of suicide and what to do if a colleague or friend is in distress. Pieta House has also edited an information booklet in conjunction with the IFA which will be distributed to their 90,000 members.