The lovely ladies at Hays Travel, Ashton-in-Makerfield branch, raised a whopping £660.83 for us in November! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! It’s because of fundraisers like this that we can keep on reaching out to everyone who needs us in the borough.
We had a very busy December and one of the highlights was to surprise one of our very dedicated volunteers, Lorraine. She was given our first Christmas Star award because she deserved it! Volunteers truly are amazing, and we believe they should be treated like gold! We’re so grateful for Lorraine’s dedication and commitment to the our work at EPiC HOPE.
Communities all over Wigan are learning how to become suicide aware. We began to roll out The EPiC Method sessions, our interactive suicide awareness course. Click the link Epic Hope | Training to read the great feedback and contact us on training@epichope.org.uk to discuss your community training needs.
In an emotionally charged event, the directors of our charity were honoured to unveil a poignant new artwork at Shevington Library. The piece was generously commissioned by Debby Leiper to celebrate the life of her son Sam, whose life was tragically cut short by suicide. Created by Alan Baybutt, a gifted local artist, the artwork serves as a touching tribute not only to Sam but also to all who have tragically lost their lives to suicide in the Wigan boroughs. Each of their names is lovingly inscribed on the artwork, creating a potent symbol of remembrance and unity. Vicky Galligan, the local councillor, was also present, demonstrating her commitment to shining a light on the issue of suicide. The unveiling was met with an overwhelming response as the community gathered in solidarity to pay their respects. As a living testament to these lives, the artwork will travel to various venues throughout the borough over the next few years. This will allow everyone in our community the opportunity to see this powerful piece and reflect on its significant message. We extend our deepest gratitude to Debby Leiper for allowing us to be a part of this very personal and meaningful tribute to Sam and all those remembered in the artwork. It is our hope that this piece will inspire conversations and bring about change in our collective approach to promoting a suicide safer Wigan.
We were blown away by the generous donation we received from Willmott Dixon – two practically new laptops! Their understanding and commitment to giving back to the community and enhancing social value is genuinely inspiring. This moment marks the beginning of more than just a donation; it’s the start of a promising relationship. We’re looking forward to potentially working closely with Willmott Dixon by offering suicide prevention training to their team. It’s partnerships like these that can make a real difference in our work and in our communities.
A massive thanks to Willmott Dixon and your lovely staff, Rosie, Helen, and Emily, who are a delight! Your support significantly helps our everyday work and our mission, and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in the realm of mental health going forward.
Our founding director, Ellie, was invited to the World Suicide Prevention Day event at Atherleigh Hospital in Leigh. It was a significant community event bringing together representatives from various mental health sectors, all united by a common goal; to create a suicide safer community for us all. The event was not only enlightening but also provided a fantastic platform for networking and collaboration. Among the attendees were key figures from the police force, the NHS, and other mental health organisations. Ellie found the discussions and presentations highly informative. They highlighted the scope of the collective effort that is being put into ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities. It was an opportunity to understand the challenges faced by all our organisations and the strategies we are each implementing to overcome them. Engaging with professionals from the police, the NHS, and GMMH, were particularly noteworthy as they emphasised the interconnection between community safety, healthcare, and mental health. Ellie also shared some of her own powerful life story and how her lived experience has informed some of the work we do at EPiC HOPE.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust Suicide Lead Nurse Lisa Sandiford and her team raised money for EPiC HOPE on World Mental Health Day. We were so grateful! The theme was Tea and Talk, but there wasn’t too much talking as there were plenty of delicious cakes to be eaten! Thank you for all the amazing work you do and for supporting us at EPiC HOPE.
It was a poignant time for our town and communities. A day of connection, sharing, many tears, yet hope. Thank you to Revd Roland at Wigan Parish Church for holding such a beautiful service for us.
Wow! What a fantastic morning it was at the Wigan 10k and thank you to everyone who cheered our team on! We had an amazing team of people running or walking for us. Massive cheers to everybody and a great big thank you to all who helped us exceed our fundraising target!
A huge thank you to Danny and Tanya at the Moorgate pub in Aspull and all the village community who raised funds for us on their annual pub crawl. A great day of fun and camaraderie was had by everyone!
