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Community News

Suicide charity founder receives Street Auction’s secret prize

A well-kept secret was successfully revealed on nominated Jacky for the Pride of Swindon
2 July in Toothill when resident Jacky Parry was Award in 2014 for her effort setting up and
shocked to be named as the winner of a holiday running Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
in the Lake District. (SOBS). She has done so much to support
Makers of a new BBC series which brings survivors since her brother took his own life.
neighbours together around a pop-up street Jacky is an amazing woman.”
auction had visited the area to collect items to Jacky said: “It took me ages to work out that
sell. Lots of people knew she would benefit from I’d won the prize and that all these people
the proceeds of the auction, but the surprise on had known about it for weeks. I really didn’t
Jacky’s face was a delight to everybody when TV have a clue they were keeping a secret. I even
cameras swung round and presenter Paul Martin had a long chat to Paul Martin when he was
announced her name. in Toothill collecting auction items. He was so
Swindon Council localities facilitator Gail nice when I donated things to sell.”
Light said she had been approached by the Street Auction will be screened in September.
BBC to suggest a worthy individual. “I had Watch this space for the date.

Helping men cope with suicide

Swindon Sobs, the charity which helps the office of North Swindon MP Justin
people deal with the suicide of a loved Tomlinson. He said: “It’s vital for
one, is the first in Britain to start an people in distressed circumstances to
Engaging Men group. receive the peer to peer support they
Retired headteacher Steven Carter, need in a way which benefits them
whose son took his life in 2011, has most effectively.”
developed the programme. He said: The first Swindon Sobs Engaging
“Men find it difficult to talk in a group Men event will be football fun day
eye-to-eye. They bottle the questions and barbeque hosted by Nationwide
up and don’t have a way to release on Sunday 14 August.
the emotions that pile up inside. Male survivors affected by suicide
Launching the Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Engaging “Engaging Men is an activity based and interested in joining the group
Programme, from left, Nationwide community ambassador Darren group where men can talk in their should contact: jackyswindonsobs@
Johnson , Asda community ambassador Jan Kilby, Justin Tomlinson own time, shoulder-to-shoulder.” gmail.com
MP, Jacky Parry, and Steven Carter The new project was launched at Facebook: Swindon Sobs

2 swindonlink.com n August 2016

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