I have just written the following 400 Word article for the South Australian ‘Stock Journal’ to go in as editorial in the week before the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth starting July 23rd, when the LiFE awards will be announced at the opening ceremony.
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Grazier, poet and preventative community health advocate Tim Barritt has been nominated for a ‘LiFE’ Award from the Australian Suicide Prevention Association (S.P.A.).
S.P.A. is the national peak body for the suicide prevention sector in Australia with a role in providing policy advice to governments, community awareness, public education and increased involvement in research.
It’s the only national umbrella body in suicide prevention throughout Australia, a broad-based organisation bringing together diverse interests across disciplines, practitioners, researchers, and the community affected by suicide and self harm.
S.P.A. supports communities and organisations throughout Australia, and promotes collaboration and partnerships in suicide and self harm prevention, intervention and postvention.
The Annual LiFE Awards recognise excellence in suicide prevention and are a prestigious national event that attract nominations from all areas including business, industry, media, community, government, youth research and medicine.
Mr Barritt, who has now spent $10,000 of his own money since his first Advert appeared in the Barossa Valley ‘Leader’ in June last year, said he was flattered and ‘very touched’ by this nomination. “In my 63 years, I’ve never been nominated for anything except a kick up the backside, and I’ve had a lifetime of those!” he said.
“22,557 good Aussies suicided last decade, including 5,150 ‘Beautiful Aussie Females’! Unlike the ever decreasing Aussie road accident fatalities, with no downward trend in Suicides through this period or ‘in site’ – something is clearly not working with our current strategies.
My starting point for creating these ads is this quote from beyondblue website… ‘Many people who become suicidal do not have a mental illness. An acute situational crisis can lead to suicidal behaviour.’
I add to this my own personal experience that after emergency numbers, our doctors and mental health professionals, the next best antidote we can have against suicide is love and support from our very own families, friends and communities.
Suicide Prevention, it’s everybody’s business. That’s why my ads target our ‘Whole Community’. They’re also highly cost effective at around just 4 cents per reader!
With Suicide, Prevention is the only cure! What I lack in formal qualifications, I make up for with my own expansive life experiences, a great love for people and a driving passion for saving precious lives!”
LiFE Award winners will be announced at the opening ceremony of the S.P.A. annual conference next week in Perth, July 23rd.