“If it was not for Suicide Crisis, I would not be here.” The words of a man brought back from the brink of taking his own life, and he is just one of the hundreds of people who have been saved by the small Gloucestershire charity. Michael Purton spoke to him and others about the unique support offered by the organisation, as they marked World Suicide Prevention Day today, September 10.

SUICIDE Crisis is a one of a kind. Despite having just eight qualified counsellors who are all volunteers, the charity provides 24/7 instant support to, on average, 25 people on the verge of taking their own life at any one time.

Started in 2012 by Joy Hibbins after she survived her own trauma, the charity runs a crisis centre in Cheltenham which serves people across Gloucestershire.

After a bereavement followed quickly by a traumatic experience, Joy became suicidal and found that the help she needed was simply not out there, so she decided to make it available herself.

Joy said: “I sought help from an out-of-hours GP. The NHS crisis services that were available didn’t work for me. It’s often the case that a different member of the NHS crisis team will come out and see you each time. If you are traumatised, you need continuity and you need to be able to build up trust with a small team. NHS crisis support generally lasts between two and four weeks.

“In terms of the charitable sector, the Samaritans are an excellent and highly respected organisation but, again, you would speak to a different person each time. I needed to feel that I was known to a team.

“On being discharged from the crisis team, I was told that psychological therapy was what I needed.

“However, there would be a waiting time of at least eight months.

“In that intervening period, whilst waiting for psychological therapy, I attempted suicide on more than one occasion. I have no previous history of suicide attempts in my life.

“This experience was the driving force behind the setting up of the charity. This gap in services needed to be filled.

“I wanted to set up the kind of suicide intervention services that would have helped me – small team, continuity of care, individualised support programme, and team members who had empathy and kindness.”

In August 2013, John (not his real name) found himself no longer wanting to live after the breakdown of his 35-year marriage.

“I was always a very strong character but that just blew all the lids off all the boxes in my head,” he said.

“I very quickly became suicidal and felt that I had nowhere to turn. As a man, you often don’t feel you can talk about these things.

“I’d sought help elsewhere but I was always passed around from one person to another and I didn’t want a multitude of different people, I wanted one person who would really listen to me. Then, one day, the TV was on and I saw Joy on the news talking about Suicide Crisis.”

Despite his reluctance, John made contact with the charity and met with Joy.

“At that first meeting, I felt an instant connection with Joy – that she understood exactly how I felt – and that brought me back from the brink.

“Suicide Crisis is 24/7, 365. You speak to the same person all the way through. I was meeting with Joy a lot but now, because of her help, it’s more as and when I need the support. I’m not there yet, I’m not over it, but I don’t want to die anymore.

“If it was not for Suicide Crisis, I would not be here.

“We need a Suicide Crisis centre in every town. There is no other institution like them that knows how to help people who are suicidal.”

After escaping a violent relationship, Anna (not her real name) was helped by Suicide Crisis after her mum heard Joy talking about the charity on the radio and made contact.

“I had been through 11 years of domestic violence and when I finally got the courage to leave I felt alone and I was afraid to trust people,” Anna said.

“Domestic violence, especially emotional abuse, can have a massive impact on a person’s mental health.

“If someone is telling you that you are nothing, it can make you feel you are not worthy to live. Later my ex-partner instructed his lawyer to use my mental health issues as a reason for my children being taken away from me. I lost custody of my children to the man who had been violent towards me. It was devastating.

“When I first met Joy I had already made an attempt to take my own life. Just being able to talk to someone who really cared made such a difference. If it was not for Joy always being on the other end of the phone, I would have made several more suicide attempts.

“They are always there when I need them. I have one-to-one support and take part in group sessions. “They always respond almost immediately, whether it’s a text message or a phone call or meeting up.

“For the past few months I have felt stronger and not needed as much support, but I always knew they were there if I needed them.

“I do not have those thoughts anymore that I would be better off gone. I feel I’m strong enough now to handle life.”

For more on the charity, see suicidecrisis.co.uk

For help call 07975 974455.