PIPS NEW HOUSE

PIPS opens its new house to those hurt by suicide

The President of Ireland Mary McAleese officially opened Pips new support centre for those affected by suicide.

Accompanied by her husband Martin, the president cut the ribbon on the new PIPS House in Duncairn Gardens before wishing it every success.

The £400,000 centre which was build with the help of donations, offers a range of therapies and on site counselling to those feeling suicidal, or the relatives of those left bereaved as a result of suicide.

President McAleese paid tribute to Pips for providing “a place of hope, education and respite”. It has been the energy and determination of many, especially family members which had been the crux of the organisation.  When Pip died, it made absolutely no sense to anyone left behind and left a dreadful void in the family life.  Yet through his death, his father forged a new movement that would care for those who have been bereaved by suicide and also those who have suicidal thoughts.  This house will help anyone affected by this issue to grow in their coping skills that will allow them to get through the dark cloud of not understanding.

The President said the issue of suicide was one close to her heart.  “Thirty years ago, one of my great friends lost her sons to suicide. She has done phenomenal work over that time as a bereavement counsellor, but to this day it is still heartache for her to talk about him.  Even after all this time, the awful pain of suicide is still so dreadfully raw”.  When her son died, attempting suicide was still a criminal offence and a huge taboo surrounded it.  “Under these old fashioned conservative attitudes, we found ourselves in a world where we never really knew what was going on.  Parents had information that could have been helpful but had no place to share it.  “People who felt suicidal couldn’t speak about it, because to do so would have led to them being labelled as criminal.  “But in this house we now have the knowledge to put together and tell the truth about suicide and developing the coping skills needed to deal with it

“It is so important everyone works together,” “We also need the voices of those who suffer mental ill-health so we can develop ways to deal with this”. “I hope this house does what you want it to. I hope it helps. “I wish you every fulfilment and real success.

PUP assembly member Dawn Purvis who was also a guest speaker, paid tribute to the charity’s innovative services,” after she planted a tree of life at the entrance to the new premises.

Also attending the opening was Fr. Aidan Troy.  He said the day marked one of the great success stories of North Belfast.  “It has grown out of terrible suffering and tragedy, but it has now come to fruition and is a tremendous place everybody can use.  One of the lovely things is it is a community venture it’s not Catholic or Protestant, and that’s what makes me so happy to be associated with it.  “This centre will mean there are going to be people alive who otherwise would not have been, and they will walk in here and will find resources to help them get over their low and dark points”.

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