THE WALKIE TALKIES - LETS STOP PEOPLE BECOMING STATISTICS

We are a group of best friends from the Lakes Chelle, Kel, Immy, Han & Jenni who are creating a legacy by raising money and awareness in memory of those we have known and lost to suicide. Daz, Max, Alfie, Terry…

First here is a poem I wrote to my brother as a follow on to the one I wrote for his funeral last year and never read, thank you for reading, thank you for supporting and thank you even more for donating love Chelle xx

I hear his voice every night

A voice that says ‘kidda you’re gonna be alright’

But how can I ever be? Truly? Really?

He says ‘because sistaaa I still love you dearly’

‘I’m sorry I left you’ he whispers gently

‘The world was too much I couldn’t cope mentally’

I tell him back ‘but why wasn’t it me’

He says quite clearly ‘you had a life to lead’

‘I’m so proud of you, Tyler, Kenna and KJ -

I’m by your side close to you all daily’

‘But why did you leave us you were doing so well’

He breaks and admits ‘but my head was in hell’

‘Please don’t be sad it was my time to go…

To a different place, a place with no sorrow’

I say ‘But kidda why didn’t you call?

Why didn’t you ask me to break your fall!’

He calmly replies ‘Please don’t hate me our kid…

Please don’t cry anymore over what I did’

‘I’m safe now sista, I’m no longer in pain…

But please keep going you’re not the same’

With a pain in my heart like no other

I whisper back ‘I just miss you brother’

On April 1st 2024 I got a call that nobody should ever get to say my brother was gone it hurt like hell. As the eldest you always think you will go first, that no matter what sibling fallouts and rivalry happen throughout the years that you’ll always be able to protect them from harm or suffering unfortunately and sadly that day it wasn’t to be. I realised I couldn’t just grieve forever but what I could do is bring people together to help to raise money for Every Life Matters and also Andy’s Man Club by doing challenges, creating workouts at Cumbria Strength and taking part in events to raise awareness, get people talking and breaking down the stigmas around mental health that in this day and age should no longer exist. On 28th September 2025 we STRIDE AGAINST SUICIDE again at Fell Foot! We want to beat what we raised last year and do more laps of the 2.2k course in 2 hours (we hope to do more than last year) Your donations will help make a difference however small or big, you can donate anything, you can sponsor the T-shirts, share our page and link and drop us a message. We may not be able to save everyone but we can’t let these men, women, boys, girls think they need to take their own lives because they can’t get help, don’t know where to turn to or just don’t feel like they can tell anyone how they feel.

The motto is simple EVERY LIFE MATTERS! MENTAL HEALTH IS HEALTH! ITS OKAY TO TALK! ITS OKAY TO NOT BE BLOODY OKAY!

We love you all ❤️❤️❤️❤️

My gorgeous daughter in law is walking for her Dad Max - a few words from her ‘Dad (Max) passed away 31st October 2008, I was only 7 but I’ll never forget that night.

After years of suffering his battle with mental health sadly he took his own life.

I don’t really remember much about my dad as he’s been gone so long and I was so young but my favourite memory was waking up in the morning before school and getting in bed with him to watch noddy,bob the builder and Fifi and the flower tots

I’d like to think that he’d be proud of me and my family I’ve made.’

My lovely adopted sister Hannah for her Uncle Terry story to follow…

Longest serving best friend Jenni is walking for us all - she’s been my rock and a constant in my life and was my saviour when I spent nearly four months in Dane Garth and I genuinely wouldn’t be here without all of these ladies and many more

Kelly - my bestie - this is her first time to join our team, we’ve had so many laughs, tears, inanity and she was with me when I got the call and picked me up off the floor and didn’t leave me I don’t think I would have got through that day without her woman’s an absolute angel ❤️❤️

We have always talked openly and honestly about mental health and yet sadly there’s still not enough support out there, still stigmas, and the system and world fails way too many and we are losing to many people both male and female at very young and older ages.

We can’t go back and change what’s happened but we can fundraise and if we can save one life, help support families and help to keep breaking the stigmas attached to mental health and encourage people to talk more then it’s a positive way to use our grief and support those that lose people too

Nobody should ever feel alone because you’ll never be alone

Do you want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money in aid of Every Life Matters and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about Every Life Matters: Every Life Matters aims to reduce deaths by suicide in Cumbria through training, awareness raising and development of a network of Suicide Safer Communities across the County. We also provide support to individuals and communities bereaved and affected by suicide.