00:00The first known physical symbol for mental health is set to make its way through Kent
00:04and Medway this coming Monday.
00:06The Baton of Hope will start the day here in Medway before being carried by baton bearers
00:12through Maidstone, Canterbury and finishing in Margate where the day will come to a close
00:16with the Evening of Hope in Dreamland.
00:19Kent and Medway is just one of 20 UK stops for the Baton and the tour hopes to achieve
00:24education and awareness around mental wellbeing, help those affected by suicide and actively
00:29call for change.
00:31Each bearer carries a baton with their own story.
00:34I will be carrying that on behalf of the 18 people through my career that I have lost
00:38to suicide.
00:39Two of those individuals were personal friends and the others were people that I had worked
00:43in on the wards, in the community and things like that but I'm also carrying it to that
00:47lasting legacy because so many of our clients that we work with battle with these suicidal
00:51thoughts every day and I'm carrying it for them to show them that we need to carry on
00:55and we need to keep talking to bring forward the best outcomes.
00:59During the first national lockdown due to Covid-19, Alex was a second year mental health nurse.
01:05Recognising the loneliness within his community, he paired his fellow student nurses and volunteers
01:10with individuals to just have a chat.
01:13Which was the start of his charity, the Keep Talking Services. Now it is making over 900
01:19calls a month, helping those who are experiencing loneliness or poor mental health.
01:24For the Keep Talking Services team, the baton is more than a symbol for the day but a message
01:30to last. With the development of the Gardens of Hope in Whitstable, Maidstone, Anaheim Bay,
01:36the Gardens will be open to everyone.
01:38We're obviously creating the gardens but if you can't come on the day, the space is there.
01:43It means that you can go when you please, when you feel like you need to. It's going to be
01:48a space where people can visit. It's not just about the day that it happens, it's a continuation
01:53of the message. We care about it all the time. We want people to know that we are here, supporting
01:58them and that there is community out there as well.
02:00As the County prepares for the Baton's arrival, the message from the day will be lasting.
02:06Daisy Page for KMTV If you have been affected by the issues raised
02:10in this report, the Samaritans can be reached on 116 123.
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