Glasgow minister calls for more to be done to cut suicide rates ahead of remembrance service

A community will come together at a church in Glasgow today to remember people who have taken their own lives in the last year.

Rev Brian Casey of Springburn Parish Church decided to hold a remembrance service after becoming aware of a high number of suicides involving young men in the area.

The minister, who has been at the church for five years, said: “With the political stuff going on in the background and uncertainty around jobs, I did think at the beginning of the year, ‘I wonder if it is going to be another year of suicides’, and my prophecy has been fulfilled unfortunately.

“There has been a large number I am aware of. The oldest was 45 and the youngest was 38.

“They all fit into that demographic we are told where there is a high risk of suicide.

“As a community, we need to find ways to tackle that.”

Mr Casey, who will be joined at the 3pm service by MP Paul Sweeney, hopes his words will encourage people not to suffer in silence.

Mr Sweeney, who has been raising awareness of suicide cases in the armed forces, said: “The work that Brian is doing is re-establishing the relevance of the church in people’s lives.

“It is a force of good in the community.”