Every single day in Australia, an average of nine families face the ultimate heartbreak of losing a loved one to suicide. 

Behind every statistic is a grieving community, but local grassroots action is proving that connection truly saves lives. For World Suicide Prevention Day, local Hunter organisation UMatter is hosting a powerful community gathering at Maitland Park. David Wright is joined by UMatter Chairperson Lyndsay Walker to talk about local support, breaking the stigma, and why every single person needs to know they matter.

• Rooted in Lived Experience: How the Hunter-based charity was born from the Mendyk family’s unimaginable double tragedy in 2017.

• The Shocking Toll: Unpacking the national numbers—including nine lives lost daily, 65,000 annual attempts, and the deep ripple effect touching at least 125 people per loss.

• Maitland Park Memorial: Highlighting the community events and formal World Suicide Prevention Day memorial service at Maitland Park.

• Bridging the Gap: How UMatter acts as Maitland's Suicide Prevention Network, connecting vulnerable locals dealing with isolation, housing stress, and financial hardship to vital professional services.

If you want to understand how grassroots peer support is changing lives in our own backyard, this is an absolute must-listen.