I want to introduce you to Natasha and for you to ‘hear’ her voice through my words. Where to begin? Natasha was many things and when I think of her an ocean of adjectives flood my thoughts. I hope Natasha will forgive me if I miss any out! She was bubbly, fun, bright, courageous, loving, talented, generous, loved animals but rabbits and puppies the most! She was also feisty, outspoken, fiercely loyal to family and friends, impatient to get things done in the shortest time possible and was like a machine in the gym!

I want to tell you about her wicked sense of humour and how proud we were of Natasha when she realised her dream of becoming a journalist and working for the BBC.

I want to tell you funny stories of her childhood but that would take too long and this is not the place!

I don’t want to tell you that my gorgeous, adored daughter ended her own life in March 2020 because the pain of just writing those heart breaking words is overwhelming. Yet I have to because Natasha has left us with her ‘voice’ and thoughts as her legacy.

As a BBC journalist working on Instagram Stories Natasha’s passion and drive was to try to find a platform for those who needed their voices to be heard; the people who might otherwise be overlooked.

Natasha often said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish!” So here’s a plan:

There are 2 main strands to Natasha’s Voice. The first is to raise funds to enable a media student from the University of Worcester to have a months Internship at the BBC, the purpose being to give a young journalist the opportunity to research and make a story of contemporary significance in an area of importance to young people. This will be an annual bursary.

The second strand is to set up initiatives aimed at reducing the risk of suicide in our local areas. Tragically, I have experience of some of the strategies that sometimes worked with Natasha. For example, when Natasha was feeling anguished last year and she didn’t feel ‘safe’, we used to talk about what ‘safe’ might look like. It changed from time to time but it was regularly somewhere peaceful, with rabbits to stroke, and a soft throw to wrap herself in.

I have been having conversations with a variety of MH professionals, a wonderful GP and people who sadly understand what it is like to have lost a child by suicide or who has a loved one who is at risk of ending his/her life. One of the aims is to take someone to a room that looks comfortable and safe instead of a room that looks like a cell! We would like to provide items that will go some way to achieving that.

It’s said it takes a village to rear a child, well I think it also takes a village to save a child. Let’s start providing practical means to reach out to those in anguish.