Media coverage of suicide can encourage ‘copycat’ deaths by transmitting information that can increase knowledge about methods or that can present suicide as a serious option.

In late November and early December, suicide was rarely out of the news with the high-profile death of Gary Speed, former Wales football manager, and comments made by broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson about people who die by suicide on the railways.

Choose Life coordinators were joined by Suicide Prevention Trainers and local and national partners at the latest Choose Life national forum event at the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, on 27 October.

Young people contemplating suicide were encouraged to talk about their feelings at a recent gig night organised by the Route 81 Youth Project in Garelochhead on 12 November 2011.