Earlier this month, staff and students at Southern Regional College (SRC) took part in a monumental occasion, as the ‘Baton of Hope’, a community driven initiative dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention, stopped by the College’s Newry Campus, as part of the Northern Ireland leg of the 2025 UK tour.
The Baton of Hope was met by Philip Campbell, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne & Down District Council and Lee Campbell, Principal & Chief Executive of Southern Regional College, before it commenced its onward journey at 6pm throughout the streets of Newry and beyond.
The Baton of Hope Journey is the largest suicide prevention initiative and mental health campaign which will help bring communities, organisations and individuals together to raise awareness, break stigma and carry hope. The tour seeks to encourage participants and the wider public to ‘Stand Up To Suicide’ through spreading the message of prevention far and wide.
As part of the initiative, the College facilitated workshops on ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ suicide awareness, ‘Take 5’ (five key steps to improve wellbeing), ‘ASSIST’ (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills). This was organised as part of the College’s ongoing commitment to support students in getting to know their fellow students and the mental health services the College offers such as onsite and online counselling, the Good Morning Advice Clinic and ‘Put it in Your Phone’, an initiative encouraging students to save support contact numbers on their phones.
The Baton of Hope tour will conclude with the London finale on Friday 10th October. It was supported and facilitated locally by PIPS Hope and Support.
Mrs Lee Campbell, Principal & Chief Executive of Southern Regional College, commented:
“We are proud to support the Baton of Hope, which shines such an important light on the conversation around mental health and suicide prevention. At Southern Regional College we believe that promoting wellbeing is not just about responding to challenges but about creating a culture where every student and staff member feels valued, supported, and able to thrive. Through open dialogue, practical support, and initiatives like this, we are committed to breaking down stigma and ensuring that good mental health is at the heart of our community.”