On the run to stop suicides (From Warrington Guardian)

On the run to stop suicides

STUDENT Becky Rowe will be taking part in a special relay tomorrow to highlight the help available to suicidal young men.

Becky, aged 20, will be running in memory of her cousin, a young man who took his own life last year in his early 20s.

Becky was very close to her cousin, and decided to take part in the relay to publicise the vital work of the Samaritans.

Becky comes from Grange Fields in Biddulph, and is a third year PE degree student at the Alsager campus of the Manchester Metropolitan University.

She will be leading a team of six fellow PE students from the Crewe campus of the MMU to the Alsager campus in Hassall Road.

The students are just part of a relay organised by the Samaritans, which sets off from Crewe at 9.30am tomorrow and is due to end up at Stoke about 5pm.

The baton relay calls at a number of towns en route, including Congleton, where runners are to be welcomed by Borough Mayor Douglas Parker.

The relay is being organised to coincide with the 50th anniversary this year of the Samaritans movement and the 40th birthday for the Crewe branch.

The marathon was the idea of the Birmingham branch, which along with Crewe is one of 18 Samaritans branches in the Midlands and North Wales.

The baton left Birmingham in November, and has been travelling around the branches, on its way to Crewe, Alsager and Congleton via Chester.

Katy, the director of Crewe Samaritans, said the relay was aimed at promoting the movement but also highlighting the help available for young men feeling suicidal.

In the year 2002 1,534 young men between the ages of 15 and 34 across the UK took their own lives, compared with 889 women in the same age group.

"We want to use the relay to raise awareness, especially among young men, that if they feel in trouble we are there to listen to them at any time."

Becky said that her cousin's suicide came as a great shock, and it was a tragedy which could happen to anyone, in particular young male students.

"The relay is aimed at raising awareness of the need to try and get boys to talk about their problems," said Becky.

The Crewe branch of the Samaritans can be contacted on 01270 21666, and to contact the national organisation ring 0845 909090.