Hospitality businesses partner with Limavady LIPS for Suicide Awareness Training

Local charity Limavady Initiative for Prevention of Suicide teamed up with local hospitality providers last week to tackle issues of community mental health, distress and suicidal thoughts through specialist training provided to front line staff.

26 hospitality workers from 10 businesses based in Limavady, Dungiven and Claudy availed of the free training in Mental Health and Suicide Awareness in the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on June 10.

The initiative was supported by Frank Owen’s Christmas bauble fundraiser, which set in motion the impetus for the training roll out to identify the signs of emotional distress in customers and how to safely intervene.

Mary Molloy, Project Manager with LIPS explained the reasons why hospitality staff were chosen to receive this essential training:

“The reason we decided to target the local hospitality sector was to leverage the unique position of hospitality staff to support suicide prevention efforts, ensuring they can provide appropriate help and resources to those in need.

“Hospitality workers, including those in bars, hotels and restaurants, interact with a large number of people daily.

“This frequent contact places them in a unique position to notice signs of distress or suicidal behaviour in guests and customers.

“Hospitality venues can also sometimes be places where individuals experience heightened emotions.

“For example, hotels might host people dealing with personal crisis or relationship issues, and bars can be a place of comfort or community to those experiencing loneliness, isolation or other life challenges.

“It is our hope that this training will equip staff with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to suicide risk and provide immediate support whilst connecting individuals to appropriate resources such as Lifeline, the Samaritans, their GP and ourselves at LIPS.”

Mary pointed out that the training also helped support the emotional wellbeing of hospitality staff, to help create a better work-life balance:

“Implementing suicide prevention training also supports the well-being of hospitality staff themselves.

“It creates a work culture that prioritises mental health and equips employees to support each other, contributing to a healthier workplace.

“It is also our hope that the proactive involvement of these businesses in getting involved in suicide prevention can contribute to a broader community effort to reduce suicide rates and promote mental health.”

Businesses participating in this campaign included Frank Owen's, The Market Yard & Corner Bar Restaurant, Murphy's Bar in Dungiven, The Junction Bar & Grill, Banters Bar, Roe Park Resort, Rosmar's Café, Café Steinbeck, The Yellow Bird & Glamour Hair by Natasha, Claudy.

The Connections Link Life Suicide Awareness training was delivered by the Western Health & Social Care Trust's Health Improvement & Suicide Prevention team.

The Connections Link Life suicide awareness course has been designed by Fresh Minds Education and is aimed at anyone in the community who would like to talk about ‘The Elephant in the Room’.

This course will give you the confidence to help and teach easy to follow practical steps to help people in the workplace or community, who may be in emotional distress or having thoughts of suicide, get the help and support they need to keep themselves safe.

LIPS plan to run further sessions of this training later this year with a focus on local sports clubs and associations.

Margaret-Ann Sexton, proprietor of the Yellow Bird café, whose staff attended the training, welcomed the initiative:
“It is fantastic that this training is being offered to local businesses, it just makes the staff more aware.

“Currently once a month, we offer a recovery clinic and it is all about bringing people together, making us all aware that some people have issues that we need to understand and adapt our way of dealing with people.

“We have regulars who come in everyday and sometimes it is just to have a chat, that is what we are about, we are a community hub.

“Our staff are very friendly and will always take time to talk to people, sometimes that is all that people need is a few minutes of your time.”

Mary identifies that they are also working towards getting LIPS staff and volunteers trained to deliver this training on demand to the local community, which will be available to book later this year.

She called for businesses and organisations in the community who are interested in receiving this training to get in touch; she concluded:

“At LIPS we believe wholeheartedly that suicide prevention campaigns work best when the whole community can get behind them.

“For this reason, we are offering this training completely free of charge.

“We would welcome anyone from the local communities or local businesses around the Roe Valley, Ballykelly, Greysteel, Dungiven, Claudy, Magilligan and surrounding areas to get in touch for more information.

“LIPS also offer Health and Wellbeing workshops and talks to workplaces, community groups and schools.

“Contact us on 07399023003 or email info@limavadylips.co.uk for more information on our education programmes.”