With mental health coming into focus under the current circumstances, Airdrie Community Trust have produced a video to support North Lanarkshire Suicide Prevention's #YouMatter campaign.

Celebrities including Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), Greg McHugh (Gary Tank Commander), Sanjeev Kohli (Still Game) and Danny O’Carroll (Mrs Brown's Boys) have thrown their weight behind a campaign to raise awareness of suicide prevention in North Lanarkshire.

Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire’s ‘You Matter’ campaign offers useful tips and advice to keep positive and where to get support if you are experiencing low mood or suicidal thoughts.

With long-established links with the local community, Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire has been working with local football clubs to reduce the stigma around suicide and encourage people to get support. The council-led support programme reached out to Airdrie-based showbiz specialist, Ross Owen, who sits on the Airdrie Community Trust board, to use his celebrity contacts to help pull together the video for Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire.

The video features input from:
Frank Gallagher (River City)
Sanjeev Kohli (Still Game, River City)
George Christopher (Grangehill, Brookside)
Greg McHugh (Gary Tank Commander)
Danny O’Carroll (Mrs Brown’s Boys)
Jordan Young (River City, Scot Squad)
Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge)
Tom Urie (River City, Trainspotting 2)
Stephen Purdon (River City, The Benny Lynch Story)
Jane McCarry (Still Game)
Robin Laing (River City, Band of Brothers)
Scott Reid (Still Game, Carnival Row)

If you are feeling suicidal, phone the Samaritans on 116123 (free 24-hour service or visit www.samaritans.org) or Breathing Space on 0800 838587 (free to call between 6pm and 2am or visit www.breathingspace.scot) for self-help and management.

If you are a young person, contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk.

If you are a worried parent or carer contact your GP or contact SAMH's Well-Informed service on
0800 073 0918 or visit www.samh.org.uk.

About Suicide Prevention North Lanarkshire –

The North Lanarkshire Suicide Prevention Partnership includes membership from council services including education and social work, NHS Lanarkshire, police, fire, public health, volunteer action and North Lanarkshire Links, among others.

It aims:
To reduce the risk of suicide in high risk groups
To tailor approaches to improve mental and physical health in specific groups
To reduce access to means of suicide
To learn from investigations and reviews into unexpected deaths
To provide better information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide
To support research, data collection and monitoring of build community capacity to help reduce the stigma and taboo associated with suicide.

Tragically, suicide is responsible for more deaths in Scotland each week than traffic accidents, with almost one person every week dying by suicide in North Lanarkshire with males between the ages of 34 and 54 almost three times more likely to take their own lives. Last year there were 40 people who took their own lives in North Lanarkshire (Jan-Dec 2019).