Carrying the Baton of Hope – In Memory of Irene & Billy

On September 1st, I will have the privilege of carrying the Baton of Hope in Blackpool at the opening leg of this year’s campaign. This baton is more than just a symbol – it carries with it the voices of so many people affected by suicide, the heartbreak of lives cut short, and the determination to bring hope where it’s needed most.

For me, this walk is deeply personal. I will be carrying the baton in memory of Irene and Billy Dennehy, the much-loved children of my dear friends. Both of these beautiful young lives were lost to suicide, and their absence has left an ache that words can never truly describe. I want to walk with them in my heart, to honour their memory, and to help shine a light on the importance of support, compassion, and understanding.

Alongside this, I am raising funds for Solace at Empowerment Charity, a local charity very close to my heart. Through my work as a therapeutic counsellor with A Fresh Focus – Person Centred Counselling, I am contracted to support those bereaved by suicide through Solace. I see first-hand the difference it makes when someone in deep grief has a safe place to talk, to cry, to remember, to process and to begin slowly piecing their life back together.

No one should ever have to walk that journey alone. Yet too many people do. With your support, Solace can continue offering counselling, care, support and hope to families and individuals who are struggling with the devastation of suicide loss.

This cause is not about me – it is about creating a ripple of hope for the people I work to support in their grief, It’s about remembering Irene and Billy with love, and about standing together so that fewer families face this kind of heartbreak in the future.

If you feel able, please consider supporting this fundraiser. Every donation, no matter how small, helps keep the doors of Solace open to those who need it most. I know times are difficult for many right now, but even the smallest donation can make a difference. And if you can’t donate, sharing the page with others would mean the world.

More than anything, I hope this walk, this fundraiser, and this baton can carry forward a message:

✨ That we remember those we have lost

✨ That we support those who are grieving

✨ That together, we can bring light into places of darkness

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for remembering Irene and Billy with me, and for standing alongside all those who carry grief after suicide. Together, we can carry the baton of hope forward.

This fundraiser comes under the banner of The Big Puddle Jump, if you want to do the puddle jump please send pics to me on my fb page!!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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