Mission and Vision

Our mission is to support the community to have better mental health therefore reducing the likelihood of suicides within our valley.  We will do this by providing prevention work using the 5 ways to well-being (Connect, be active, take notice, keep learning & give). Intervention work using the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) model and postvention support when necessary.

Our vision in the valley is to have suitably qualified volunteers to aid the community during prevention, intervention and postvention, We will fundraise to provide as many opportunities for counselling and therapies as possible through our partnership with other organisations.

A Journey of Loss, Love, and the Birth of a Cause

The year 2019 was one of the most heart-wrenching years of our lives. Our son Tim, only 40 years old, took his own life. His death by suicide didn’t just break our family; it shattered our world. It left us with an emptiness we could never have imagined. It felt like everything around us became inexplicable—suddenly, the world seemed a place we no longer understood.

We were left grappling with questions we couldn’t answer. “Why did this happen?” we asked ourselves. “What could we have done differently?” But, the most difficult question of all: “How do we move forward from this?”

In the months that followed we heard of several other families, within our caring valley, that had lost people to suicides and realized that they may be overwhelmed by the grief, one thing became clear, no matter how painful it was, we couldn’t just sit in silence, we had to do something, we needed to find a way to create meaning from these tragedies.

With the support and love of our families, friends, and the incredible people in our community, the idea for Ogmore Valley Suicide Awareness was born in 2021. We knew that we couldn’t let Tim’s death define us as a family in sorrow; we wanted his story to help others. We wanted to raise awareness, to shine a light on the darkness of mental health struggles, and to offer support to those who might be facing suicidal thoughts—people who, like Tim, might feel they have no way out.

The creation of Ogmore Valley Suicide Awareness wasn’t just a way to honour Tim; it became a mission to break the silence, to start conversations that too often remain hidden behind closed doors. Through the organization, we began to speak openly about mental health, the pain of losing someone to suicide, and the importance of supporting one another, no matter how hard it may seem.

The group became a way for us to give back to the community that had rallied around us during our darkest days. It became a place for people to connect, share their stories, and find the help they desperately needed. Over time, we began hosting awareness events, providing resources for mental health support, and creating safe spaces for people to express themselves without fear of judgment.

Every life saved, every person who reaches out for help, feels like a small victory, and though the pain of losing Tim will never go away, there is solace in knowing that his life is continuing to make a difference, helping others find hope where there once was none.

Mental health is not a topic that should be ignored or feared. It is part of the human experience, and the more we talk about it, the more we can prevent tragedies like the one we lived through. If our story can help even one person, it will have been worth it.

We’ve come to realize that healing doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey, one that takes time, understanding, and support from others. And, through Ogmore Valley Suicide Awareness, we’re committed to walking alongside those who are struggling, to let them know they are never alone.