Families affected by suicide across the North East make quilt to honour their loved ones
A group of people who have lost members of their families to suicide have come together to create a quilt in their memory.
Tracey Beadle and Suzanne Howes, who have both lost children to suicide, have started the project, which will be displayed on a tour of the North East.
People from all across Darlington, County Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland and Teesside have been involved in the workshops, and contributing patches for the quilt.
Ms Beadle has described the project as a cathartic process. "Some people coming to our groups have never spoken about their loved one before," she said.
"It's just good to be around other people who understand your pain. When you lose someone to suicide, their story doesn't end. And we need to tell their stories. And that's what this quilt will do."
Her husband, David, is also helping to run the project and hopes it can change the conversation around suicide.
“If your loved one died by suicide, they died by suicide. In days gone by it was something that was shameful and not spoken about. We don't want that to happen. We don't want that to be the case anymore," he said.
Mary Dodd lost her 15-year-old daughter Morgan seven years ago. She has been creating a butterfly on her patch as she feels it tells her daughter's story.
"She was into theatre and performing arts. On her gravestone it says, 'fly, high, my little butterfly'. So that's why I was looking at a butterfly with a theatre background", she said.
Sammy Wilson lost her brother Andy last year and said taking part in the project was helping to keep his memory alive.
She said: “You know, he was larger than life. You felt safe as soon as he walked through the room, you were like, 'Yeah, that's my brother. That's my teddy bear. I've got a cuddle', you know what I mean."
The memorial quilt is due to go on display on at Newcastle Library on 11 November 2023.
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