Giant sand timer art installation to highlight number of youth suicides will be unveiled for Suicide Awareness Day

The art installation will be at Winchester Cathedral from September 9 to mark Suicide Awareness Day. It will revolve every 40 seconds, reflecting global statistics that every 40 seconds someone ends their life by suicide. A counter will mark every revolution to reflect the grim total

Within the sand timer are 161 balls representing the children and adolescents under the age of 19 years old who ended their life by suicide in 2020 in England – 113 orange balls represent the boys and the 48 purple balls representing the girls.

The installation has been organised by Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which provides services across The News’s region.

Helen Dove, innovation and participation lead at Hampshire CAMHS, said: ‘Public art is a very powerful way of getting important messages out. No message can be more important than raising awareness about suicide. We want to draw attention whilst encouraging kindness and compassion and providing information about where people can seek help.

‘While this event raises awareness of suicide, and will hopefully encourage people to have that first conversation, it is also important to consider those who might be impacted. A variety of support and signposting will be on offer at the sand timer installation for anyone in crisis and/or coping with the aftermath of suicide.’

The installation will be outside Winchester Cathedral from September 9 for four weeks.

For more information about Hampshire CAMHS and the services they provide for children and young people, go to hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk.