A project which aims to reduce suicide across the county will launch in Copeland next week.

Suicide Safer Copeland aims to reduce stigma, increase understanding of when someone is at risk of suicide and raise awareness of the help available for people experiencing suicidal thoughts.

It is being delivered by Every Life Matters, a new suicide prevention charity set up to address Cumbria’s high suicide rate.

On average, one Cumbrian dies by suicide each week - this is double the number who die on the county's roads.

One in five Cumbrians will have thoughts of suicide, and one in fifteen will attempt suicide at some point in their life.

Cumbria’s suicide rate remains consistently higher than the national average, and a disproportionate number of these deaths are in the west, including Copeland.

Juliet Gray, training manager, and co-founder of Every Life Matters said: “Suicide needs to be addressed across all areas of our society.

"It’s important to understand that around three quarters of people who die by suicide are not in contact with any mental health services in the year leading up to their deaths.

"This means suicide prevention needs to be a community-wide concern.

“It is friends, family, work colleagues, neighbours and our network of community and voluntary organisations, not just those in NHS mental health services, who have an important part to play in saving lives.

"These people are best placed to know when something is wrong, to spot changes in behaviour and the signs that someone might be at risk of suicide."

A key focus of the project is empowering people to take action against suicide in their communities, workplaces and in their own homes.

Ms Gray said: “At the heart of the projects is getting people to talk more about suicide. It is still a taboo subject. We want people to feel comfortable talking about suicide, and asking someone they are concerned for directly and clearly about suicidal thoughts.

“A common myth is that asking someone directly if they are thinking about suicide will put ideas into their head or make the situation worse. This is not true. Often people feel a sense of relief to be able to share such distressing thoughts.

“We want to see an end to people struggling alone with suicidal thoughts. But we know this requires a major shift in our society’s attitudes and it needs to be done right across our society. Recent changes in attitudes towards mental health in general show it can happen.”

Every Life Matters offers suicide prevention training across the county and is launching a series of Suicide Safer community projects, starting in Copeland and Barrow-in-Furness, where suicide rates are particularly high.

Suicide Safer Copeland launches on Tuesday, May 7 between 6pm and 7.30pm, at Whitehaven RLFC. Anyone in the Copeland community with an interest in reducing suicide is encouraged to attend.