By Linda Rowett | CEO
As we begin a new year it is always good to reflect on the previous months and determine if we are still fulfilling our main objectives as a charity - offering support and/or counselling to those contemplating suicide or self-harm or struggling with poor mental health. Thankfully we have been in a position to increase our capacity during 2025 which should have a positive knock-on effect going forward.
In November 2025 we celebrated 20 years as a charity and celebrate we did! It was a wonderful pleasure to introduce our team of 14 to the invited guests and watch a history of the organisation to the present day. Our hope for 2026 is to re-establish our training wing, including a new workshop on Mental Health Awareness; advertise our counselling services more widely and to appoint a new CEO. Which should keep the team very busy.
The unfortunate side of our story is that there is a continued need for our existence as suicide deaths continue at a cohsistently high rate despite interventions! The final CSO report for 2022 of death by suicide was 500, with the largest group falling in the 40-45 year old age group. As there is always a lag awaiting coroner reporting, any later figures are generally estimated numbers, so it will be a while before we know 2025 suicide deaths. However, Minister Mary Butler reported that in 2024 the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland estimated that there was a total of 12,621 self-harm presentations made by 9,436 individuals, which reflects a decrease on previous years in reported cases - unfortunately still too high!
Our experience is that there is increasing anxiety amongst those we meet, whether in the counselling room or the community. People who are uncertain of their purpose in life, who to connect with for stability or where to turn to when life becomes difficult. Our constant aim is to be bearers of Hope to those who need it and to reflect the support and hope we ourselves have received through Christ.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all many meaningful connections this year and a wonderful, hope filled 2026.
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