Volunteer with Sunflowers Suicide Support

At a glance

Causes

Mental health

Other details

Organisation type:

Charity

Geographical remit:

Local

Objectives

Introduction and background

Sunflowers Suicide Support is a charity registered in 2018 under Charity Number 1177266. It was set up in memory of Pete Morris who took his own life in September 2016 aged 29 years old. At the time of their loss by suicide, the Morris Family found a significant gap in provision both in terms of the mental health impact on themselves and others, as well as a lack of understanding from professionals to their specific needs and a lack of practical help and support particularly concerning the navigation of legal processes including the inquest. They family set up Sunflowers with the intention of bridging the gap in services which is person-centred.

Sunflowers Suicide Support provides a range of trauma-informed interventions to meet the holistic needs of children, young people and adults who are bereaved and affected by suicide. Sunflowers endeavour for service users to receive the best effective wrap-around care.

Sunflowers Mission Statement

To reduce the number of people in Gloucestershire who take their own lives and be a provision of support for those bereaved through suicide

Sunflowers Vision

For there to be the best possible environment in Gloucestershire where people live, prosper, and are kept safe from suicide, its harms and wider impact.

Strategic Aims of the Charity:

People bereaved or affected by suicide to have appropriate and effective support
To provide relevant training and qualifications related to suicide intervention, grief and suicide bereavement
Reach out to communities in creating and sharing awareness around suicide and its impact

Activities

SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT

People who are bereaved by suicide are recognised under national and local suicide prevention strategies to be at higher risk of attempting on their own lives.

Sunflowers supports people living in Gloucestershire who have been bereaved by suspected suicide. We work to provide timely practical care and the best possible support, which is tailored to their individual needs, including when necessary signposting to additional professional support.

The Sunflowers services comprise of.

A support pack which is given out by Gloucestershire Constabulary upon delivering a death message.
A liaison service delivering personalised support to individuals and their close family/friends.
Practical input to guide service users through processes involved after suicide.

Signposting and guided referrals into additional services.
Grief Recovery. An 8-week education programme.

Professional support for people who have been identified in need; through 1-2-1 counselling and trauma therapy with specially selected and vetted subcontracted BACP registered counsellors.
Bereavement Support groups which are facilitated by a registered counsellors to provide professional support to those attending. These are not time limited; participants end these sessions when they feel ready.
Peer support through our befriending offer, involving dedicated practical and listening support to encourage self-help and improving self-confidence for each family referral to rebuild their lives.

Delivery of a range of activities to promote resilience and ongoing networking with peers and for those who may feel isolated on a longer-term basis. For example, we plant memory gardens each year, have walking groups, a lady’s lunch group, weekly art sessions

TRAINING

Sunflowers offer delivery of accredited Livingworks training programmes to raise awareness in the local population enabling them to identify suicide risk and how to support those potentially at risk. Livingworks training is recognised worldwide as the leading suicide intervention training programme. Sunflowers have trainers who deliver Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and we have also been able to deliver safeTALK awareness training.

The training also enables organisation to network with other support services throughout the Gloucestershire community, both statutory, private sector businesses, charitable organisations and members of the public in our community.

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