Saving lives from suicide in Honiton will be the mission of a fast-growing charity's first-ever talk in the town.

Pete's Dragons is inviting residents to an interactive information session at The Beehive, in Dowell Street, on Tuesday, February 26, from 6pm to 8pm.

The Exmouth-based cause provides comfort after suicide loss and currently supports more than 300 people across Devon. It is also a market leader in suicide prevention training.

"We believe suicide is everyone's business," said Pete's Dragons Project Manager Kate Bedding, who will lead the session. She wants to encourage communities to 'talk about saving lives'.

The charity says suicide is preventable and anyone can make a difference. Its 90-minute 'SuicideTALK' session will focus on saving lives from suicide, building awareness and encouraging open discussion, and helping people take the first steps towards suicide prevention.

"Ideally, we want to make everyone aware of suicidal invitations and then to empower people to ask those they are concerned about," added Kate.

"SuicideTALK is the first of three training programmes and aims to raise awareness of suicide myths and to inform people of current facts and figures; end stigma around suicide by giving people the confidence to talk about it and to make it more of a conversation matter; and empower people to know how to ask honest, open and direct questions as to how someone is feeling and then what to do.

"Sessions are very interactive and give people the chance to practice asking the question, thus building confidence. All participants that I have delivered this to said they were more confident in asking someone the question at the end of the SuicideTALK."

Pete's Dragons is the only suicide bereavement support service of its kind in the South West and the most comprehensive service in the UK.

The charity was founded by Alison Jordan after her brother, Pete Wicks, took his own life in 2010 at the age of 24. It can respond to families, providing support and advice, within 48 hours of a bereavement.

The cost of the SuicideTALK session is £12 per person. For more information or to book a place, call 01395 277780 or email [email protected].

To find out more about Pete's Dragons, visit petesdragons.org.uk.

Picture: Pete's Dragons CEO Alison Jordan (left) with Project Manager Kate Bedding, courtesy of RedSoil PR.