A SUICIDE SAFER WIGAN
EPiC Hope is managed and run by a team of dedicated, passionate and compassionate individuals. Volunteers who want to stop suicides and save lives.
How we began
THE BIRTH OF EPIC HOPE
When suicide survivor Ellie Palma-Cass realised her home town had the highest suicide rate in the country, she knew she had to do something.
And the first thing she did was ask people who were struggling with their mental health and close to crisis what they needed.
They needed someone to listen. Now.
Not at an appointment many weeks down the line.
And that’s how the EPiC HOPE Harbours and Circuits were birthed.
creating suicide safer communities
We do this by identifying and supporting those in crisis, nurturing an inclusive environment of compassion where every person can share, connect, and find hope and healing, without stigma.
We are dedicated to empowering community members with the skills to save lives and to building a network of understanding and resources that assists anyone touched by suicide.
A future where we recognise our value.
Our vision is a future where every person in our boroughs recognises their inherent value and feels a steadfast sense of hope and connection.
We strive to establish a compassionate society where the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide is eradicated, and open conversations and support systems are the norm, leading to a zero-suicide reality.
We are committed to equipping individuals, communities, and institutions with the resources, education, and support needed to prevent suicide and to nurture strength, understanding, and the preservation of life at every opportunity.
We value life. Everybody’s life.
Our core values are rooted in compassion, connection, and courage. We believe in the power of empathy to understand and support those in pain. We value the strength of community and the importance of building meaningful connections to combat isolation. We champion the courage it takes to reach out, to speak openly about struggles, and to stand together in the face of adversity. Education, respect, and inclusivity guide our actions as we strive to create communities where every life is valued and every cry for help is heard and answered.
Preventing suicides in
WIGAN & LEIGH
EPiC HOPE was established to prevent suicides and provide emotional and mental health support to the people of the Wigan and Leigh boroughs.
We do this through multiple avenues.
Our safe spaces, EPiC HOPE Harbours, which are held throughout the boroughs provide peer support for anyone who needs a listening ear, who is struggling, and/or is close to crisis. We provide a number of resources and if necessary, signposting. A number of lives have been saved from suicide due to people attending our Harbours.
Our outreach project, HOPE Circuits, is a service where our trained suicide support volunteers visit areas throughout the boroughs where suicide rates are known to be high. Here, we provide intervention, support, and comfort, along with HOPE & Care packages, and only if necessary, will we call for emergency services.
Our training department delivers the world’s leading and evidence-based suicide prevention training along with our own EPiC Method one hour interactive sessions, our aim being to equip as many people as possible with this life saving skills.