Daughter remembered as baton tour reaches Bradford

Anna Scott, pictured with daughter Ellen, has helped to organise the Bradford leg of the Baton of Hope tour

The mother of a young woman who took her own life hopes a national suicide prevention campaign will raise awareness of the support available.

Anna Scott lost her daughter Ellen in 2017, shortly after her 23rd birthday, with Ms Scott and partner Roger Cunliffe now helping to organise the Baton of Hope tour.

Set up in 2022 by Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, whose sons took their own lives, the Baton of Hope is the UK's biggest suicide prevention initiative and has arrived in Bradford.

Mrs Scott said: "It's not just about raising money, it's about letting people know there is a community of people there to help."

Between 1 September and 10 October the baton will be carried through 20 locations across the UK, including Bradford, Leeds, Norwich, Portsmouth and London, with local people who have been affected by suicide organising each phase.

The Bradford leg started at Top Withens, near Haworth, before passing through Keighley, Bingley, Saltaire and Lister Park and arriving in the city centre.

Remembering her daughter, Mrs Scott said: "She was very bubbly. She loved music and was so creative. She was a walking picture of creativity.

"Her house was full of colour and her heart was full of love."

Nick Smith carried the baton through the streets of Keighley

Following Ellen's death, she said the family had felt "there was very little or no support" available.

"We were not supported by anybody really and we didn't know where to go for support," she said.

Nick Smith, who carried the baton through the streets of Keighley, said: "I tried taking my life three times.

"I never thought I'd make anything of myself or encourage anybody, but I'm holding this [baton] and I'm incredibly fortunate and thankful that I'm here to carry it now."

Mr Smith now runs talks about mental health with teenagers at Keighley College, where he arrived with the baton to a round of applause from students.

"If I had the support at school, I would have been better equipped to cope with the thoughts and feelings and they wouldn't have built up and built until I thought there was no way out," he said.

Becoming emotional, Mr Smith added: "I do feel guilty that I survived and some people didn't, but I can't control that, so I need to focus on celebrating that I am here and I'm going to put that to good use."

Bethany Woodyatt lost a close friend and her brother to suicide

Bethany Woodyatt, who also took part in the Bradford leg of the tour, lost close friend Ceara to suicide in 2018.

Three years later, her 19-year-old brother Joshua took his own life at the same age.

"I'm here walking for them today," she said.

"My friend Ceara had struggled with mental health most of her life and was quite open about, but with my brother we had no idea about it."

She added: "It's been really nice to hear other people's stories and what's brought them to this event."

Wednesday's leg is in Leeds, which will see 84 people take turns to carry the baton along a 15 mile (24km) route stretching from Bramley to Gipton.

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