More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
“If we can just save one life it’s worth it,” says Christie Morris, as she ties a handwritten message to the railings of a motorway bridge.
She is part of a group which has put up positive messages across the M2 bridge in Rochester.
The young women, who all live in Cuxton and Strood, posted a picture of their notes on social media last month and it received thousands of likes, retweets and more than a million views.
They plan to cover the whole bridge with uplifting quotes and mental health hotline numbers.
Lacey Fuller, 22, said: “We saw another girl do this on a bridge down her way and Lauren (Lacey’s sister) shared it on Facebook. We all thought it was a really good idea to come to this bridge.”
This year three people have fallen to their deaths from the crossing.
Vicki Watson said: “It’s something that happens way too often here.
“People get to the point where they feel there is nowhere to turn but there are so many who are willing to listen and these messages are a representation of that. It doesn’t have to be the end if they don’t want it to be.
“It’s taken us the best part of a week to create these signs. We’ve been going round to each others’ houses to laminate and we’ve raided Wilko’s cable tie supplies to attach them to the railings.”
Last Wednesday they returned to the M2 bridge with the Medway, Gravesham and Swale Samaritans, to put up more messages.
They hope to put notes in railway stations too and get more men to join them.
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123 at any time or text SHOUT to 85258.
