Maz Al-Julaili, left, and Mike McCarthy in Sheffield

Destination Hastings for the Baton of Hope

The Baton of Hope, a campaign aimed at engaging people on the taboo topic of suicide, is coming to Hastings as part of its second national tour in Autumn 2025. Chris Connelley sets the scene…

Established by former broadcast journalist Mike McCarthy in response to the suicide of his son, Ross, Baton of Hope (BofH) is a charity and campaign group that aims to raise awareness of the issue, to generate better support for those affected and to prevent suicides.

Working with Steve Phillips, whose son had also committed suicide, McCarthy developed the concept of the Baton of Hope tour as a means of engaging with people across the country on a still taboo topic, using a visible public procession, the centrepiece of which is a baton that is passed along the route by survivors and their families, demonstrating solidarity and acting as a beacon of hope.

Its first nationwide tour, in 2023, took in 12 locations, including Brighton, before heading to central London for the final leg. Along the way, it involved 1,000 torch bearers, from those directly affected, signed up scores of celebrity supporters from the sport and entertainment worlds, and generated over 3 million hits on social media.

Next year’s second tour will almost double in size, with 20 locations taking part, including Hastings, which will join cities like Norwich and Leeds, and whole counties like Kent and Herefordshire, in the campaign to smash the stigma around suicide.

Save the date: 23-09-25

The baton will arrive here in Hastings on Tuesday 23 September, when organisers plan to put on a wide range of activities.

Our presence on next year’s map follows an application by local men’s group, Mr Hastings and St Leonards, which has been campaigning for better support for men and focusing on physical and mental health.

Supported by HVA, the umbrella service for the borough’s sizeable voluntary sector that helped them set up,  Mr Hastings and St Leonards (MHSL) have worked on a number of projects over the past couple of years, to include hosting a podcast, running a weekly Thursday night men’s support group operating out of Stade Hall, and bringing national wellbeing group, Talk Club, into Hastings.

Baton of Hope launch at Central Hall, Hastings. Photo by David McMurdo

The Hastings Baton of Hope sign-up is the group’s latest initiative, launched on 19 November at Central Hall, when a number of speakers set the scene for our participation.

Mazin Al-Julaili (Maz), a founder of MHSL, explained how he came across the Baton of Hope whilst attending a Talk Club in Mike’s home town of Sheffield. During a conversation with Mike, he felt that a coastal location like ours, with its complex set of health inequalities, would be a suitable candidate for the 2025 tour.

He recounted how we went through a selection process that whittled 40 original applicants down to the final 20 locations, of which we are the smallest.

Teresa Flower, from HVA, took up the story, acknowledging that “Hastings and St Leonards is very small but we are very special, and very creative. Let’s make the baton visit very personal to here.”

Fellow HVA worker Jacey Kilvert said that although September next year seems like a long way away, preparations need to begin now and that there is an opportunity for the whole town to get involved and help spread the message.

All funding for the Baton of Hope needs to be locally generated and the group are looking to recruit a team of volunteers able to help with fundraising and all aspects of the organisation of the Batons visit.

Rachael Swann, from Grassroots, a Sussex based charity providing suicide awareness training, offered additional context, indicating that for every suicide, it is estimated 135 people are affected.

Staff from Hastings Samaritans were also present and welcomed the initiative, noting the town’s higher than average suicide statistics, at 11.9 deaths per 100,000 compared to the average of 10.6 per 100,000 in the South East, and the continuing difficulty many people have talking about suicide.

To find out more, and to offer support, visit the Men’s Room website.

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