SPIIOW – the Isle of Wight’s Suicide Prevention and Intervention front line charity have this week added to their front line team, by way of a second vehicle to better support the team members.
The aim of SPIIOW as a valued charity / service in the community is to seek to save lives across the Isle of Wight from suicide (in a crisis).
This is done by our teams undertaking community engagement on foot and by car and responding to calls to locate anyone at risk, to use our skills in crisis intervention, offer supportive listening, to start a dialogue and to encourage more hopeful solutions than suicide and to keep that person safe for now.
Support from Lancasters
The support of this vehicle comes from local Isle of Wight Cowes-based Estate Agents Lancasters who made contact with SPIIOW towards the end of 2020 to express their gratitude for the difficult work SPIIOW undertake in the community and wanted to help with some support.
Sarah Adams of SPIIOW says,
“Every single piece of support that SPIIOW receives we are extremely grateful for, even more so during these hard times.
“As a small Island-based charity we do often get overlooked by some of the bigger national brands, so when I heard that Lancasters were willing to help and support SPIIOW to the tune of donating funding towards a second vehicle this was so really overwhelming.
“We know that this pandemic has affected everyone and businesses of all sizes, however even during Covid Lancasters have kept their promise to support us and we can’t thank them enough.”
Benefit of second vehicle
Having a second vehicle will enable SPIIOW to have two front line teams out at any one time, with the professionally trained team growing we are very lucky to have teams strategically placed around the Island
Like the first vehicle it was left down to Adam of Solent Autopoint to come up with the goods to deliver a vehicle that was going to meet our needs, and as always he never disappoints.
Lee: This invaluable service saves lives
Chris Lee of Lancasters says,
“After speaking with Paul from SPIIOW a few months ago, we decided that we wanted to help in some way in order for his team to continue to help more people struggling, when they feel there is no way out.
“With the service being called upon more regularly especially during the Covid pandemic, we couldn’t escape the thought of them not being able to reach a person in crisis, just because they didn’t have the extra vehicles to get there. What if it was someone we knew they didn’t get to in time? – it doesn’t bear thinking about. The invaluable service reaches people every week and saves lives.
“They (SPIIOW) are rarely given any exposure for the fear of it being regarded perhaps as a taboo subject. Suicide, much like mental health needs to be talked about more often without prejudice in order for people to get the help before it is to late. We hope our small gesture goes someway to helping at least one family not have to deal with the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide.”
Summers: A charity close to my heart
Adam Summers of Solent Autopoint – Ryde, said,
“It is always a pleasure to support such an important local charity and one close to my own heart. When SPIIOW asked me to supply another vehicle with specific requirements we did not think twice, and we set to work.
“We managed to find and supply a superb 4×4, one that was superb over all terrains and in all types of weather which we hope will serve them well.”
Equipment in the vehicle
This vehicle along with the current one in operation will be kitted out with the same equipment that the teams may need when approaching or talking to a person who is in a crisis / feeling suicidal. The teams safety always comes first and in order to reach a person they have to always think safety.
The team’s kit in both vehicles will include full PPE team kit for all weathers, a state of the art radio system over a 3G,4G/LTE closed network (giving full Island coverage) SWaH – safety lines / ropes, helmets harnesses, medical kits, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and heat seeking equipment.
This vehicle just like our first one was, has been fitted with an iPad. Back in 2019 we received a grant from WightAID to fit an iPad in the car for our front line team members to receive information and provide a greater amount of detail about the location for the team’s safety when required.
The second vehicle has already been used to attend two incidents in the past week and will be a great asset to the team, all thanks to Lancasters.
Someone at risk from Suicide?
If you think or believe that someone you know or have seen someone who is at risk from ending their life from suicide, you can make contact with our frontline team 24 hours a day in the following ways.
- SPI Crisis Number (Suicide Intervention Only)
(01983) 667 247
This number is only to be used if you or someone you know is at risk of ending their life by suicide.
Emergency
If you or someone you know has already acted on the thoughts of suicide please call 999 and ask for the ambulance, giving them as much information as you can
Anyone interested in learning or joining the on-call from line team can contact SPIIOW at [email protected]
News shared by Sarah on behalf of Suicide Intervention and Prevention Isle of Wight (SPIIOW). Ed
