By Helen Fay
This Wednesday (September 10) sees the launch of the Leeds leg of the national Baton of Hope 2025 tour.
The Baton of Hope is a powerful symbol to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Its purpose is to promote a message of hope, reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking and to bring communities together to remember those who lost their lives to suicide.
84 baton bearers will be taking part, all of whom have been affected by or bereaved by suicide. Further information about the Baton of Hope can be found here.
The route stretches across from West to East Leeds, via the city centre. The walk launch event starts at 8.30am from BARCA-Leeds at Manor House, 259 Upper Town Street in Bramley.
There will be live music, a speech by Councillor Adele Rae (Lab, Bramley) and the opportunity to support and cheer on the baton bearers.
The West Leeds part of the route takes in Bramley centre, Raynville Road, Wyther Lane and along the canal towpath, through Armley Park, beside Armley Moor, then along Armley Town Street and past New Wortley Community Centre before heading towards Holbeck and onwards.
There is an interactive map to enable observers to follow the whole route live. A list of approximate timings and locations of where the baton will process, can be found here.
The Leeds leg of the Baton of Hope tour takes place on World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) and there will be a number of events taking place along the route. More information can be found here.
The event finale will take place in the evening at the Old Fire Station in Gipton, East Leeds.
The BARCA Being You Leeds men’s group will be performing an original song written by it’s members.
Group leader Jonathan Parker said: “The Being You Leeds Music Group have been hard at work writing and recording a song for the Baton of Hope.
“We’ll be performing the song at the end of walk event and would love to welcome as many people up as possible to sing it with us. There will be lyric cards provided. It’s a song of resilience and hope at our darkest times. The song is called Here I’m Staying.” The song is available as a free download and can be accessed here.
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