The people behind every candle

Chorley Candlelight Walk 2026: The people behind every candle

As suicide prevention is put in the spotlight throughout September, more than 80 people have come together in Chorley to remember those lost to suicide and stand alongside the families, friends and communities affected.

As the evening rain settled in across Chorley on Thursday 10th September, people began to gather at Tatton Community Centre for Lancashire Mind’s annual Candlelight Walk, held to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

Some arrived alone, others with friends and family. In their hands were small candles, each carrying a handwritten message explaining who or what they were walking for.

One simply read: “For everyone bereaved by suicide.”

Rain followed us for most of the evening, but so did a remarkable sunset. As a line of candlelight moved beneath the treeline, we were joined by a spread of orange light emerging from beneath the dark clouds. It created an incredible visual picture of the very reason we were gathered – to shine a light on the number of lives lost to suicide across Lancashire and stand in solidarity with all those impacted.

For some of those walking, the loss was very personal.

One family joined us to remember Nina, a very special and loved young girl who died last year aged just 13.

Her sister, Klaudia, shared how her family have been trying to keep Nina’s memory alive and turn their loss into something positive. At Nina’s funeral, instead of flowers, they asked people to make donations to Lancashire Mind to help support others struggling with their mental health.

Now, as the first anniversary of Nina’s death approaches, her friends and family are preparing to walk together again in her memory, while Klaudia is also taking on a 90 Miles in October challenge to continue raising money and awareness.

These individual stories are part of a much bigger picture across Lancashire.

One suicide is one too many

Lancashire’s Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Strategy 2024–2029 estimates that around 135 people are exposed to the impact of each suicide – including relatives, friends, colleagues and members of the wider community. Based on that estimate, more than 14,175 people in Lancashire could have been affected by suicide in 2022/23 alone.

The figures also show why local suicide prevention remains so important. And behind those numbers are people of every age and background. Across a five-year period, deaths by suicide were recorded in every age band from 10–14 through to 85+, while 75% of suicides in Lancashire were among men.

Statistics can tell us the scale of the issue. An evening like the Candlelight Walk shows us the people behind them.

Remembering, together

Inside Tatton Community Centre, tables were filled with information about mental health and suicide prevention, alongside candles and spaces for people to write their own messages.

We were joined on the evening by UDevelop CIC and Chorley Community Police, helping to make the event a genuinely community-led show of support, while Booths donated Chorley cakes for walkers to enjoy with a warm drink when they returned from the rain.

But perhaps the most important thing available during the evening wasn’t something that could be put on a table. It was conversation.

For Lancashire Mind, the Candlelight Walk is one evening each year when the community can stand together. The hope is conversations started will continue long after the candles have been put away. Working alongside Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB and the Orange Button scheme to reduce stigma, encourage people to talk about suicide and increase access to suicide prevention training.

You don’t need to work in mental health to make a difference.

The people behind every candle

For some families, the Candlelight Walk has become part of how they continue to remember someone they have lost.

Last year, we heard from Donna, whose son Robbie died in 2020, aged just 18. She described him as someone whose “smile always lights the room” and whose laughter brought joy to everyone he met.

Donna told us why she and Robbie’s uncle wanted to take part:

“Me and my brother wanted to do the walk in memory of my son and his nephew due to losing my son to suicide, and we wanted to honour his memory, and everyone else who has dealt with mental health in their family.”

Robbie’s story, Nina’s story and the messages carried by people walking with us this year show how the impact of losing someone to suicide doesn’t end when an event finishes or another World Suicide Prevention Day passes.

It stays with families, friends and communities.

And it’s why, even on a wet September evening, over 80 people chose to turn up, light a candle and walk side by side.

Because behind every candle is a person.

Behind every person is a story.

And one suicide is one too many.