'Open up and talk to someone': Hundreds walk for suicide awareness

Hundreds of people took to the streets as the sun rose on Sunday morning to remember loved ones who had died by suicide.

They included Chloe Hilling and her family, who had come to walk in memory of her partner Gary.

"We lost Gary on 23 January to suicide, so we're here to support the community and anyone else that may be struggling with their mental health as well," she said.

She added that it was "great to see the support, for so many people to turn up for something so close to our hearts".

"Even talking to others, especially going through the same thing, their grief journey and helping one another," Chloe said.

"A lot of people do feel alone, and that's something probably Gary struggled with, but it's so important to know that there is so many people behind you and so many people there to support you.

"Talk, open up, talk to somebody. It's so important."

The walk and event in west Belfast, called Out of the Darkness: A Walk of Hope, was organised by West Wellbeing, which is a community-run mental health support service.

Official figures show 290 deaths by suicide were registered in Northern Ireland in 2024 and suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50.

Colette Madden was at the event for her daughter Aoife, and said the support from West Wellbeing had been "a lifesaver".

"I lost my daughter to suicide on 8 August 2021," she said.

"Aoife had a young son who was four at the time and he obviously struggled with one morning his mummy was here and the next she wasn't.

"I'm here to walk for her, for her memory.

"I love her and miss her so much."

She said all of the family had received support, help and counselling through West Wellbeing and the walk had given her "a great sense of togetherness".

"Just to see that so many families have been affected by suicide, you're not on your own," she said.

"There's other people out there that's going through what I'm going through."

Maureen McCarthy came to the walk with her family for her brother Brian, who took his own life in November 2024.

"I'm here today - myself, my sisters and my brother - to represent our brother, our baby brother Brian," she said.

Maureen said her family really valued the support of those who had turned out for the walk and event.

"I don't know any family myself that hasn't been affected by suicide in one way or another," she said.

"There's an awful lot of guilt carried with suicide, you know, with your own loved one.

"You sort of feel is there something you should have done, is there something you didn't see?

"People call it survivor's guilt, and it is.

"It's such a sad, sad thing, it's heartbreaking.

"Suicide is a very lonely thing and you sort of feel that you're the only one that's affected by it.

"So, so many people are affected by it, directly or indirectly."

Eileen Morgan was there in memory of her son, who took his own life six years ago.

She was singing at the event as part of the West Wellbeing community choir, and said she had received support from many groups in west Belfast.

"It has helped me so much with my mental health and I have come on so much that I heard about the choir," she said.

"It has helped with the beautiful people in the choir, some of them coming through what I have come through.

She said it was important for people to be aware of mental health.

"There are people out there struggling with their mental health, we need to reach out," she said.

"There is help there."

A memorial wall or "wall of hope" was opened in the Dairy Farm shopping centre in west Belfast where families and friends could place a photo of as loved one who had died by suicide.

Bernadette Hagans, who is an ambassador for West Wellbeing, was one of the hosts of the event.

She had her leg amputated after a cancer diagnosis and said more support for more funding and support for mental health services was vital.

Bernadette said the turnout from the community for the walk and event had been "amazing."

"There's so many people here and I think it shows the power of community," she said.

"This today is showing that nobody is truly alone, we're all here.

"You have your family, your friends and you have your whole community behind you.

"The whole thing is making sure that nobody feels alone."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.