Norwich will take centre stage in a powerful national campaign to confront the stigma surrounding suicide when the Baton of Hope tour arrives in the city this September. On Wednesday, 17 September, the symbolic baton—created to inspire hope and drive action in suicide prevention—will be carried through Norwich for the first time as part of a UK-wide relay.
Selected as one of just 20 cities across the UK to host the event, Norwich’s involvement comes during World Suicide Prevention Month. Organisers hope the tour will ignite crucial conversations about mental health and wellbeing, while encouraging local communities, charities, and businesses to show their support.
Designed by renowned goldsmiths Thomas Lyte, official silversmiths to the FA Cup, theBaton of Hope has been described as a mental health counterpart to the Olympic torch. It will be passed between more than 40 baton bearers as it travels through the city, stopping at key landmarks and community spaces including:
- Royal Norfolk Showground (departure point)
- Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
- Eaton Park
- Norwich Samaritans branch
- Chapelfield Gardens
- Norwich Lanes
- Norwich Cathedral
- Norwich Rail Station
- Norwich City Football Club (final stop)
The event is being led locally by Norwich Samaritans, working in collaboration with local charities and businesses.
Jane Brown, Director of Norwich Samaritans, said: “We’re honoured to host the Baton of Hope and help shine a light on such an important issue. Every suicide leaves families, friends, and communities shattered by the loss. We believe this will be a landmark moment for mental health awareness in Norwich. Our commitment to suicide prevention in the city is long-term and deeply rooted. The Baton of Hope tour is a powerful and moving expression of the strength of feeling across our community—a shared determination to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide. Above all, it reminds us that no one is ever truly alone. Help is out there, and hope is always within reach.”
The Baton of Hope charity was founded by families bereaved by suicide and aims to deliver the UK’s biggest-ever suicide prevention campaign. With suicide remaining the leading cause of death among men under 50 and young people aged 20–34, organisers say the baton’s journey is both a call to action and a message of solidarity.
Further details visit the Baton of Hope Norwich website www.batonofhopenorwich.org.uk or follow Baton of Hope Norwich on Facebook and Instagram
