By james art Emotional councilors in County Durham made an impassioned appeal on Wednesday following the tragic death of their 19-year-old nephew.
Eric and Lesley Mavin, Belmont District Councillors, urged the council to support their pledge.
A full council meeting was told that suicide was the biggest killer of all people under the age of 35 and three-quarters of them were men. The North East also has the highest suicide rate in England.
Councilor Leslie Mavin said: “Can we ask [the council] write to the Secretary of State for Education to ask her to ensure that suicide awareness and prevention is a compulsory part of the RHSE curriculum to raise the profile and reduce the stigma of suicide?
“People don’t die from talking about suicide – they die because we don’t talk about it.”
The couple paid tribute to their late nephew in an emotional speech in the council chamber.
Cllr Eric Mavin said: “Our nephew was a wonderful young lad who was caring, loving, considerate, talented and funny. He had the world at his feet and a bright future to look forward too. He was only 19 years old. We cannot know what was going through his head when he decided to take his own life – and we never will.
“I just wish he had talked to someone and shared his burden, then we might not be here today.”
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Tireless charity campaigners Three Dads Walking were also praised for raising funds for suicide awareness and prevention.
Cllr Lesley Mavin added: “The group came together after their daughters took their own lives and walked hundreds of kilometers over the past year across the UK to raise awareness of suicide and ensure the topic is talked about in schools in a safe and age- appropriate way.”
The request was accepted unanimously by all councillors.