Leeds City College hosts Yorkshire suicide memorial quilt

Over the last month, Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus has been home to a memorial quilt created by local charity, Yorkshire Speak Their Name. 

Quarry Hill is the quilt’s fourth stop on it’s tour of locations across Yorkshire, which is designed to raise awareness of suicide bereavement and prevention across the region. 

Suzanne Gallagher, Principal at Quarry Hill Campus said, “It has been a pleasure to host this incredible and emotive piece of art. 

“The quilt has sparked conversations between staff and students, encouraging everyone to speak openly on the topic of suicide and remember those we have sadly lost.”

Each piece of the four-part quilt is made up of 48 unique squares, each crafted by someone whose life has been touched by suicide, in memory of their loved one.

Caroline Fergus, Senior Digital Marketing Executive at Luminate Education Group, is one of several staff members who have contributed a square to the quilt.

She said, “I contributed a square in memory of my best friend Ellen Scott who lost her life in 2017. I wanted the square to represent our childhood, so I took inspiration from a photo of the first birthday party we celebrated together.

“Projects like this are so special because they inspire hope and togetherness in times of grief. As well as commemorating the ones we love, the project also provides an opportunity to share the message that grief doesn’t have to be a path you take alone.

“Seeing the quilt at Quarry Hill was really moving, and a strong reminder that there is still so much more that needs to be done in terms of suicide awareness and support for grief.”

The group are continuing to add to the quilt, and are currently collecting squares to create a fifth panel.

The quilt will be on display at Quarry Hill Campus until Friday 16 December. For more information or to find out how you can get involved with the group, please contact yorkshirespeaktheirname@gmail.com

If you have been affected by suicide, the Samaritans are available on 116 123 or if you would like to speak to someone at college, our campus wellbeing teams are on hand.