Story by Alan Jacques
A VOLUNTEER group that patrols the Shannon to prevent suicides says there is a real need for non-nationals to act as interpreters’ over the Christmas season.
The Corbett Suicide Prevention Patrol (CSPP) will be patrolling the riverbank this Christmas every night from December 24 through to January 2 in addition to their routine patrols. The volunteer unit has made over 60 interventions along the riverbank since being set up just over a year ago.
“Last Christmas, 50 per cent of the people we met down at the river were foreign nationals. It is a time where people can feel desperately lonely and depressed. It can be an especially difficult time for those away from their families and without the means to get home for Christmas,” said CSPP’s Paul Hogan.
“Last weekend, we met a young Polish man by the river with very poor English so communication was a real barrier. We were able to advise him to move away but it was one of those situations where it would have been useful to have someone on standby who could have spoken to him.
“It would be great to have a few foreign nationals among or team, even if we only had their telephone numbers so they could speak to those from other countries in distress when language gets in the way,” he explained.
“Christmas is a really high risk time of year anyway when people can get really down. It is also the season of goodwill, so we would ask people to make the festive period easier for those away from home by inviting them to be a part of their own celebrations,” said Mr Hogan.
Anyone interested in the work of the volunteers can follow them on the CSPP facebook site.
