Three Dads Walking: Trio want suicide awareness taught in schools

Three dads whose daughters took their own lives have called for more awareness of suicide to be taught in schools.

Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen raised more than £500,000 during a 300-mile walk for suicide prevention charity Papyrus earlier this month.

They completed the walk between their homes in Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Norfolk in 15 days.

The men want the government to add suicide awareness to the curriculum.

They have written to the prime minister and education secretary calling for the topic be included in personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) lessons.

PHSE is a non-statutory subject and lessons allow teachers to help youngsters increase their knowledge about subjects like relationships, money, diet and drugs.

Mr Airey, from Morland in Cumbria, lost his daughter Sophie in 2018.

He said: "There was nothing in the education system to begin to equip our young people to deal with serious mental health issues and talk to them about suicide prevention.

"I thought this is crazy and why are we not trying to address it, when there are lessons happening every week in schools, designed to deal with this kind of thing."

A government spokesperson said: "We know suicide can have a devastating effect on families, and it is our priority to ensure children and young people get the support they need.

"All children are taught about mental health as part of the new mandatory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum to help them recognise and manage any wellbeing issues as well as how they can seek support as early as possible."

The fathers walked in memory of their daughters, Sophie Airey, Beth Palmer and Emily Owen

The trio walked about 20 miles a day between Mr Airey's home, near Cumbria, Mr Palmer's house in Sale, Greater Manchester, and Mr Owen's property in Shouldham, Norfolk.

During the walk they said they were joined by "dozens and dozens" of parents who had very similar stories of their children taking their own lives and in circumstances where nobody "had seen it coming".

Among those who donated to the charity walk were actors Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman, who each gave £10,000.

If you have been affected by any of these issues you can visit the BBC's Action Line.