PICTURES: What can be done to reduce Kessock Bridge closures on A9?
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Lainey Anderson lost a close friend to suicide at the Kessock Bridge.
“It was heartbreaking – it makes me feel so sad,” said Miss Anderson, who is a member of a creative group which put the bridge at the centre of an art exhibition aiming to destigmatise mental health issues – and spark a conversation about what can be done to improve services.
Major traffic disruption caused by repeated closures of the A9 link across the Beauly Firth amid ‘concern for person’ reports, has become a big talking point locally in recent months.
It was also a subject of discussion at the Bridge Over Troubled Waters exhibition staged by the Go With the Flow group run by mental health charity, Centred, previously known as Birchwood Highland.
Each week, members meet at Café 1668 in Church Street, Inverness, to draw, paint, write and chat.
Miss Anderson (53), who contributed poetry and artwork to the exhibition, has her own ideas about what should be done to try to tackle the repeated closures of the Kessock Bridge.
She wants to see measures designed to prevent people contemplating suicide in the first place.
“I would like to see more mental health nurses,” said Miss Anderson who has has been in and out of institutions most of her life and has mental health issues.
She also suggested small staffed buildings either of end of the bridge to keep a lookout for vulnerable people.
Miss Anderson, who has faced challenging times, has turned her life around.
“You have to realise you want to help yourself,” she said. “I want to help other people and to make them feel they are not alone. There is always someone here for you.”
Anne Hunter, a project development officer with Centred, believes more resources are needed to improve mental health services and ensure earlier intervention, thereby preventing people going on to the bridge.
“The bridge was closed 200 times last year not necessarily for suicide attempts but medical emergencies,” she said.
She speculated how much the cost would be to the emergency services and others caught up in the subsequent disruption and felt the money should be invested in mental health provision.
She also felt that small sentry-style boxes staffed by trained people either end of the bridge should be explored.
Ms Hunter, who also runs a group at Petty Church, explained the exhibition grew from a colourful piece of artwork depicting the Kessock Bridge in a positive light which inspired other work and poetry.
“Doing art is very therapeutic and through that conversations start,” she said.
Levanah Rowell (31), who struggles with anxiety and depression and has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, finds writing poetry helps.
“I would like to help and inspire other people who are struggling with mental health to do creative writing and art,” she said.
“I feel it so powerful and helps people when they are in a dark place.”
She felt progress had been made on destigmatising mental health issues but said people could be judgemental and more work was needed.
As for potential solutions to the issues of the Kessock Bridge, Miss Rowell felt suicide prevention barriers should be put in place.
