Special cups introduced by the Roll Bar at the Bridge are helping staff and customers remember loved ones and friends who have died by suicide.
Roll Bar owner, Vijay Wiltshire introduced the ‘memory cups’ last month to raise money for, and awareness of, the work carried out by Guernsey Mind.
Proceeds from the cups are being donated to the charity which supports mental health wellbeing and initiatives.
Mr Wiltshire had two of his own much-missed friends in mind when he came up with the idea.
“I always saw them smiling and happy and never imagined either of them was struggling,” he remembered.
“Their loss has affected so many people — friends, family, and the wider community.
“Men’s mental health can still be a silent killer, and stigma plays a big part. We want to raise awareness, encourage conversations, and remind people that support is available across the island.”
Mr Wiltshire has set up a mental health support section inside the Roll Bar on the Bridge to help anyone who needs it too.
“We make every effort to welcome everyone with a smile as we are aware that we might be the only friendly face some people speak to face to face on a daily basis.
“Sometimes, all it takes is a smile and warm welcome to improve someone’s day. We want everyone to know they’re not alone and that support is always within reach.”
The memory cups initiative has been supported by the family of a man who died by suicide in 2022.
Elise Trebert lost her dad Trevor after he came under extreme stress and financial pressure due to a situation he was involved with.
She told Express that she supports initiatives that help Guernsey Mind in its work, after her own successful fundraising event in 2024 saw more than £10,000 donated to the charity.
“There’d been a long build up to it with some real personal struggles,” explained Elise.
“It was a situation and he felt he couldn’t find his way out. The financial difficulties was probably the biggest element there, and the stress.
“We knew, the last nine or 10 years, it had been difficult and all consuming for my parents and knowing the stress and false hope that was coming up every day…we obviously only saw that about half, so the suicide, I guess, came out of nowhere. It’s not like we were expecting that.”
Elise doesn’t want her dad to only be remembered for his death though, saying he was a caring and supportive father, who really believed in her, especially when it came to helping her launch her businesses.
“He was a very honest, kind man. I think that’s probably the best way to describe him, as people say he was very kind and honest,” she said.
When Mr Trebert died, his family had asked for donations to be sent to Guernsey Mind.
“They do great work and I think they should be well supported,” said Elise.
Mr Wiltshire said he’s also keen to work with Guernsey Mind on further ideas to help promote mental health support, particularly for men.
“We’re delighted to be working with Vijay,” said Amanda Hibbs, Communications and Events Lead at Guernsey Mind.
“He has some great ideas to help spread the word about the support we offer. We encourage anyone who is struggling to reach out as soon as possible — early support can make a huge difference.”
Guernsey Mind offers a number of initiatives to support people who may be worrying more than usual, finding it harder to enjoy life, or experiencing thoughts and feelings that are difficult to manage day-to-day.
Ms Hibbs highlighted Guernsey Mind’s Supported Selfhelp service which is free and offers practical tools and strategies to help people cope.
Anyone aged 18 or over can contact the charity, and appointments are usually available within one to two weeks, she said.
To find out more about Supported Self-help and other support available, please contact Guernsey Mind on 01481 722959 or visit www.guernseymind.org.gg.