Give Hope to people in crisis in Limerick

An offer in principle of a riverside building has been received by two voluntary organisations that have collaborated in their efforts to find a shared permanent base. The new premises will be shared by The Haven Hub CLG and Limerick Land Search Team. Other suicide prevention organisations were also contacted about exploring the offer of the use of the building as a shared space, but declined the offer.

The new premises will give a space for vulnerable people in crisis to be supported in their lowest moments and in their journey to wellness. It will also allow for the storage of vital lifesaving equipment that is currently being kept in vehicles. Dedicated rooms will allow for training of volunteers to be carried out again face to face, for proper debriefing before and after searches and interventions. Training will also be provided to the public in wellness recovery, emotion regulation, distress tolerance skills, Mental Health First Aid and Suicide Prevention Training.  It will also give a space for families of missing people to be supported by trained volunteers in a comfortable calm setting, rather than gathering on the side of the river during operations. The message of hope will be reflected in the plans for the décor of the building to incorporate information on all local support services that may assist a person developing a mental health condition up to and including crisis. 

Without the support of the community, our efforts could not have reached the level that they are currently at. And we are asking for your help. Suicide prevention is a resource that is vastly underfunded. Hope House will be a huge benefit and support to the midwest community if we can make it happen. The building has been extensively fire-damaged and is basically a shell that needs to be both repaired and refurbished. We estimate that this will cost significantly more than the €10,000 we have set as our initial target. But this should get us on the road to where we need to be to make Hope House a reality.