Regular readers of my column will know that suicide prevention is an issue very close to my heart.

So, I am really pleased this month to be able to promote the annual Hope Walk in Pontypool on Thursday, October 26.

Organised by the Gwent Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention Steering group, the walk is one of many Hope Walks taking place across the UK to raise awareness of the work of Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide – the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

Papyrus launched its first Hope Walk ten years ago to coincide with World Mental Health Awareness Day on October 10 but now walks take place over the whole month of October.

Everyone’s Hope Walk will be different but the goal will be the same: to smash the stigma and kick start conversations around suicide.

I have been lucky enough to join Hope Walks over the years and it is great to see how the initiative has evolved and grown in size and number.

It has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for suicide prevention, prompted countless conversations about suicide and let people know they are not alone in their pain.

Sadly, suicide is the biggest killer of young people under the age of 35 in the UK.

Suicide, however, is not inevitable and the more we can do to raise awareness and let young people know we are here for them and that their life is important the more we can do to help save young lives.

I have talked before about the need for early intervention and the need not to over medicalise our response to people in distress. We know people who present in a crisis have a range of needs and will not necessarily require clinical intervention.

That is why I am really pleased Welsh Government has launched the NHS 111 press 2 for urgent mental health support service now available 24/7 for people of all ages, to ensure those in need of support can access it quickly when they need it most.

Both Papyrus and Samaritans have their own helplines, too: contact Papyrus Hopeline247 on 0800 068 4141 and the Samaritans on: 116 123 – both are free, non-judgemental help lines.

And if you feel like pulling on your walking boots and busting the stigma around suicide why not join the Pontypool Hope Walk on Thursday, October 26. It starts at 11am from the Pontypool Active Living Centre.

We can beat suicide one step and one conversation at a time.