A CHARITY which works to saves the lives of suicidal people at a beauty spot is at risk of closing, it was announced last week (May 29). Petitioning has now begun to save the organisation from closure. The irony that last week also, the Chaplaincy at Beachy Head was honoured in its work by the Queen, has not gone unnoticed.
The Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team urgently needs £15,000 by the end of this month (June) and £50,000 over the next three months if it is to carry on its services.
Talking to the Argus, Director Mark Pybus said last Friday (May 30): “If we don’t get a significant amount of funding by the end of June we might not be here. It takes £200,000 a year to run the service we run and we can’t get core funding at the moment, that’s the issue. If we don’t exist there’ll be more deaths.”
Since then, word has got round the UK about the imminent threat and a petition has started on change.org to raise awareness about the issue.
Founder of the petition, Lucy Atabey from Heathfield says; “This Christian charity saves hundreds of people from committing suicide at Beachy Head every year. People come from all over the UK to this beauty spot when they feel they have no other options. The charity are at real risk of closure due to core funding issues. Mental health is still an underfunded and misunderstood area of health services – the government and it’s agencies should be supporting this incredibly worthwhile cause.” She adds, ‘We lost a friend in this way not long ago. Sadly, they were unable to stop him taking his life. However, the support the BHCT have given his family has been invaluable”.
The chaplaincy, which has been running for more than a decade, came to the rescue of over three hundred people last year. It is now calling on businesses, organisations and local people to help provide short term support.
On Monday (2 June), the organisation appeared in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list and the team issued the following statement;
“Today the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team were honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. We have received “The Queens Award for Voluntary Services”. We would like to pass on our thanks to all those who help support and encourage our work, past and present. However, we are a charity and need much financial support if we are to continue providing this much needed service into the future. All donations are greatly received. Thank you”.
You can sign the petition at change.org to try and help save this worthwhile organsiation here.
