Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Pupils compete to be real netbusters
Monklands schools win sports tournament
Senior students from two Monklands schools claimed the top honours at a North Lanarkshire-wide sporting tournament.
More than 200 fifth and sixth year pupils from 14 secondaries took part in the Ravenscraig event, to raise awareness of suicide prevention.
Airdrie Academy won the sevena-side football tournament, while neighbours Caldervale triumphed in the netball contest.
The sporting day was supported by Airdrieonians and Albion Rovers, as well as fellow North Lanarkshire professional sides Motherwell and Clyde, plus Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Lanarkshire and hosts NL Leisure.
Lynne MacDonald, suicide prevention officer with North Lanarkshire Council, said: “We undertake many different initiatives to help break the silence around suicide, including partnerships with local football teams.
“We also undertake prevention training in schools and sports clubs – and have recently launched our ‘RU THAT GUY’ suicide prevention text alert system which encourages you to check up on your friends.”
Depute council leader Paul Kelly added: “Preventing suicide is everyone’s responsibility and we can all help. It may be a friend, a family member or someone you go to school with.
“Spotting that someone is perhaps struggling can be difficult but if you think they seem down, out of sorts or just not themselves – ask them if they’re doing OK, as talking can make all the difference.
“We want to make people aware that there’s help available and by raising awareness of how to recognise the signs sometimes associated with suicide, people will be in a better position to offer support and perhaps save lives.”
In 2017, 680 people across Scotland died from suicide; while across the UK last year, there were 200 deaths by suicide involving school pupils.
To join the suicide prevention text alert campaign, email your mobile number to thatguy@ nor t h l a n . g ov. u k o r text “THATGUY” to 60163.