The Prince of Wales has urged people to talk more about suicide as he opened a new men’s suicide prevention centre during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Opening of James’ Place in Birmingham
William opened James’ Place in Birmingham, which is designed for men in crisis, having previously opened the charity’s other centres in Liverpool, London and Wales. Speaking at the centre on Monday, William said he hoped the charity, which was set up by Clare Milford Haven and Nick Wentworth-Stanley in memory of their son, James Wentworth-Stanley, who took his own life when he was 21, would be able to open more facilities around the country.
“The team here are fantastic,” William said. “I hope we can get more of you around the UK, because it is in need of it sadly.” He added: “We need to talk more about suicide, talk more about preventing it and talk about getting it to young men and women earlier, so we don’t have to have these centres in the very long run. That is the aim.”
Tour and Meetings
William toured the new centre and met staff, partners and service-users who have been supported by James’ Place at its other locations, and representatives from charity partners Papyrus, MindOut, and National Suicide Prevention Alliance. Meeting men who have been helped by the charity, the Aston Villa-supporting prince joked that his choice of clothing – a blue suit and maroon tie – was “not deliberate” after earlier celebrating his team reaching the Europa League final. He was at Villa Park in Birmingham last week and celebrated Aston Villa’s 4-0 victory against Nottingham Forest. “I’ve been to the FA and they were already pointing it out – I promise you, it was the first tie I chose from the cupboard this morning,” he said.
Service-User Reactions
After their meeting, Marcus Davies, a former service-user and a trustee at the charity, who is from The Wirral in Merseyside, said: “(William) was surprisingly normal, actually. I think when we sat down and got into the conversation, he was surprisingly normal, very relaxed, very open and interested in what we had to say.” Another former service-user, Ben Brand, who travelled from Bedford for the prince’s visit, said: “We were very nervous to begin with, but once he got in the room and sat down, it relaxed very quickly. It was like just talking to anybody, really. You wouldn’t think you were speaking to the prince, the future King. It was just speaking to another man, just having a chat.”
Background of James’ Place
This year marks 20 years since Mr Wentworth-Stanley died by suicide 10 days after a minor operation, having been unable to access support he needed for severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts. James’ Place was founded in 2008 by his parents to prevent other families from losing the men they love. Asked why the charity was so important, Mr Brand said: “It allows people to get access to the help they need very, very quickly. From my experience, it was less than 48 hours before sending a referral in and being in crisis to actually being sat in front of therapist. I then subsequently had eight sessions after that, every week. You couldn’t get that service elsewhere and as far as I’m aware, it’s the only place that could get you that quality of care that quickly, which is just vital, crucial, really. There’s a massive need for it, and being able to get people in the door that quickly, and get them help that quickly – that is the life-saving part.”
Mr Davies added: “It was rapid, it gave me what I needed when I needed it. I didn’t have to wait on a waiting list. I’m confident enough to say that I wouldn’t be here had I not had the intervention when I had it.” Mr Davies said the prince’s visit could help inform more men in crisis about the charity. He said: “I think for that publicity, his reach and the audience that he can reach through his status and who he is, I think that’s just critical to getting that message far and wide. I had never heard of James’s Place prior to my GP referring me. It’s so important that men know that it is there and available as a service to help those that need it. The more far and wide that message can be delivered, the better – and he has the scope to be able to do that.”
