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Prince opens new centre to help men in crisis

James Bovillin Birmingham
Getty Images A woman with blonde hair wearing a long dress and light jacket stands near the prince who is wearing a suit and red tie and talking. Between them is a photo of a young man. There is also a gold plaque which says James' Place. Getty Images
Prince William met the founders of the charity, which was set up by the parents of James Wentworth-Stanley, who died aged 21

Prince William has urged people to talk more about suicide as he opened a new men's suicide prevention centre in Birmingham.

William opened James' Place in Edgbaston, on Monday, at the start of Mental Health Awareness Week.

The charity, which also has centres in Liverpool, London and Newcastle, was set up by Clare Milford Haven and Nick Wentworth-Stanley in memory of their son, James Wentworth-Stanley, who took his own life aged 21.

"The team here are fantastic," William said. "I hope we can get more of you around the UK, because it is in need of it sadly."

A group of people around one man who is smiling and wearing a suit. He is talking to those around him, who can mainly be seen from the back.
Prince William toured the centre and spoke to people at the opening of the venue

William added: "We need to talk more about suicide, talk more about preventing it and talk about getting it [help] to young men and women earlier, so we don't have to have these centres in the very long run.

"That is the aim."

William toured the new centre and met staff, partners and service users who had been supported by the charity.

Ben, who was referred to the charity last year said of his experience: "It feels like the world is sort of crumbling around you and everything is closing in and just like a feeling of complete hopelessness.

"And when you come somewhere like here and they start to help break that down for you and you talk with a therapist and you go through it you realise there is always hope.

"There is always a light to get towards."

Afterwards, people who had been helped praised the prince.

One man said: "It's quite remarkable meeting someone like that but also someone who is listening to every word you are saying and actually responding in kind.

"It's kind of magic, actually."

The prince has opened all four of branches of James' Place. The one in Birmingham will be able to help up to 500 men in crisis every year.

James' Place James Wentworth-Stanley who is blonde, and wearing a yellow shirt, pictured smiling at the camera. James' Place
The charity which runs the centres was set up in memory of James Wentworth-Stanley

Ellen O'Donoghue, chief executive officer at James' Place said: "In Birmingham, there were over 500 deaths by suicide last year of which three-quarters were men.

"So it's been a real priority to us to open a centre as soon as we possibly could.

"It's really important for people simply to know that it's here."

She added it was important to get the message out that it was here, free to use and there was no waiting list.

  • If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line.
Ellen O’Donoghue who is looking at the camera and smiling. She has a blue top with a zip and a black jacket. Her hair is brown.
Charity CEO Ellen O'Donoghue said the centre was open, free and there was no waiting list
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