How Greater Manchester is responding to World Suicide Prevention Day
Today, on Suicide Prevention Day, several campaigns have launched to raise awareness of the help and support available to anyone in the region who might be suffering with mental health issues.
A memorial quilt – made up of 54 squares containing people bereaved by suicide – has been designed in Greater Manchester as the region prepares to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
Rebecca Jackson, a fibre artist who built the memorial quilt from scratch, has called her incredible creation Speak Their Name.
She said: “We called the quilt Speak Their Name as many people bereaved by suicide have found that those around them often avoid saying the name of the person that has died.
“We want to tell the individual stories of those we have lost to suicide, to show the outside world that these are not numbers, these are human lives and real people left behind.”
Rebecca added: “As a mum bereaved by suicide I know how essential crafting had been to my mental wellbeing and I wanted to share some of the skills I had learnt along the way.”
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“Quilting has a long history of storytelling and calling for change. We hope that Speak Their Name will help raise awareness of the impact that losing a loved one to suicide has and to be part of Greater Manchester’s history.”
Today, on Suicide Prevention Day, several campaigns have launched to raise awareness of the help and support available to anyone in the region who might be suffering with mental health issues.
These include free mental health courses for barbers – equipping haircutters with the skills to recognise when a client might be struggling.
Public Health England has also launched a new NHS-approved campaign designed to give parents, carers and young people the knowledge and resources to protect and improve children’s mental wellbeing.
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Charities and support networks are active and ready to provide support to anyone in need.
If you or anyone you know may be struggling, there are many different places you can reach out:
Andy’s Man Club – A group dedicated to starting conversations about mental health – assuring people that it’s ok to talk. You can contact them by email on: [email protected]
Manchester Mind – An organisation that has supported people in Manchester for over 30 years. Most services are now available over the phone, by email or video call. Call 0300 123 3393 or text 86463.
The GM Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – The local NHS helpline is open 24/7 which you can call any time, day or night, if you feel your mental health is beginning to suffer: 0800 953 0285 .
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CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably supports people via phone and webchat. You can call 0800 58 58 58 or speak to a support worker online. Open 5pm to midnight.
Samaritans – The Manchester & Salford Samaritans offer emotional support by telephone and email. The phone lines and email support are available 24/7. Call 116 123 or visit the website.
News
Manchester United star Antony accused of domestic violence by ex-girlfriend
Danny Jones
Manchester United winger Antony dos Santos has been accused of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend in Brazil.
The 23-year-old has been hit with multiple allegations of assault, bodily injury and threatening behaviour by Antony, including one incident which is reported to have required surgery.
As per ESPN Brasil, a police report was filed against the United star by his ex-partner Gabriela Cavallin on Monday, which listed a total of four different incidents beginning in July 2022.
The DJ and influencer alleged that the first instance of abuse happened after the pair broke up at a party, with Antony apparently pulling her by the arm and by her hair before pushing her into a car. Cavallin was also estimated to be about 17 weeks pregnant at the time, though this wasn’t cited in the incident report.
ESPN Brasil:
Timeline of the reported aggressions from Antony towards his former girlfriend:
July 2022: Antony pulled her out of a party, grabbing her arm and hair. He then pushed her into his car. She was 17 weeks pregnant at the time.
As the report goes on to detail, Cavallin sadly lost the child and while she does not attribute the miscarriage to the domestic violence, she claims that Antony continued to abuse her physically and emotionally up until as recently as May this year, having got back together with him for a time.
Other instances of abuse are said to include Cavallin being attacked in her own apartment in January (citing “reasons of jealousy”), which reportedly caused the displacement of her silicone implants and required surgery, as well as two more attacks — one of which was apparently witnessed by a friend and Antony’s mother.
The 22-year-old also mentioned that she was left with a cut on her finger by a glass broken by Antony — photos of the scar being attached to the police report — adding that he assaulted her again later that day and broke her phone “so she would not call for help”. She claims she only managed to leave five hours later after the Brazilian international’s physiotherapist took her to the doctor.
While an initial report by globo.com suggested that the fourth and final alleged attack took place on 20 May when Antony had already travelled with his club teammates for their game against Bournemouth, it has since been clarified that the abuse and threatening behaviour took place over the phone.
Manchester United winger Antony has been accused of assault by his ex-partner Gabriela Cavallin with a police report being filed against the Brazilian.
She alleges that Antony assaulted her on May 20th. The report is said to include photographs of abrasions and threatening… pic.twitter.com/ShAzuhwOHm
Cavallin claims Antony threatened her during a call on 20 May, warning that “if he saw her with someone, he would kill her”; she also noted several instances when the player had threatened to “kill himself” after they fought in the past.
She claims the two haven’t spoken since 28 May.
Brazilian police are now said to be investigating Cavallin’s claims after she presented photographs of multiple injuries supposedly sustained by the footballer and also requested “urgent protective measures” against him. There is no indication whether British authorities are currently involved.
The details of the case are yet to be fully verified and neither the player nor his club have issued a statement at this time.
Police confirm body of man, 31, who disappeared after leaving Stockport pub has been found
Emily Sergeant
The body of a man who vanished after leaving a pub in Stockport on Sunday night has now been found, it has been confirmed.
31-year-old Christopher Barlow was reported to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as missing after he was last been seen leaving the Royal Oak pub in the Mellor area of Stockport at 1:17am on Sunday 4 June.
He was seen turning left onto Brabyns Brow from Town Street, but there were no further sightings of him after that.
Police said they were becoming “increasingly concerned” about Christopher’s whereabouts.
But now, after officers and specialist teams searched a specific area in Marple, GMP confirmed last night that a body had been found.
Greater Manchester Police can confirm that sadly a body has been found after officers and specialist teams searched a specific area in Marple, Stockport in relation to Christopher Barlow being reported missing.https://t.co/JD44kXP0AVpic.twitter.com/safIQ1CUmy
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 6, 2023
Sadly, police have confirmed this to be Christopher’s body.
GMP confirmed that Christopher’s family have been informed following the recovery of the body, and a report is now being prepared for the Coroner’s Office.
In a statement addressing and confirming the devastating news last night, Detective Superintendent Helen Critchley, of GMP’s Stockport district, said: “Firstly, our thoughts are with Chris’s family and friends at this very distressing time.
The Manc -
10th September 2020 
