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The future is orange in fundraising memorial to JFS boy

Oli Leigh was 16 when he took his own life. Now the charity founded in his name is running a social media event to fund prevention of suicide and self-harm among teens

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On Saturday, it will be three years to the day when JFS pupil Oli Leigh took his own life. He was 16.

To mark the anniversary, the Oli Leigh Trust — the charity set up in his memory by his mother Michelle — is launching a social media campaign #orange4oli (orange was Oli’s favourite colour).

The charity works to prevent suicide and self-harm among teenagers through training, education and support and is looking to raise funds for these activities through the initiative.

Trust volunteer Corinne Miller explained that community members were being asked to take a picture of themselves with something orange, tag three friends to do the same and donate a minimum £1 via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/orange4oli.

She added that Oli was polite and loving, offering help wherever needed. He fundraised for Jewish Care, assisted in care homes, manned phones for charity appeals and took part in Maccabi GB events.

But his mum maintains that this was a front to cover underlying insecurities.

“When our children leave primary school, their cocoon of protection is completely stripped away. They enter secondary school and the world we have tried to protect them from opens up.

“Most children are able to deal with life but there are children who are vulnerable and cannot find their place and hide their feelings. Depression is an invisible illness.

“I hope by remembering my Oli in this way, more teenagers and young adults will realise that suicide is preventable and not inevitable.”

 

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