Community group Healthy ‘n’ Happy arranged a special showing of The Low Road as part of their mental health and suicide prevention project.

Rutherglen hosted a special film screening attended by its producer and director to launch the second year of the mental health and suicide prevention campaign run by community organisation Healthy ‘n’ Happy.

An intimate audience of 40 attended the exclusive showing of The Low Road, arranged in conjunction with bereavement charity Cruse – and were joined by director Stephen Mulhearn and producer Sophie Marsh from production company Seeing the Magic who then hosted a question-and-answer session.

The showing at the Number 18 venue on Farmeloan Road came as the community development trust marked the anniversary of the Creating Hope In Our Community project, a range of workshops and activities aiming to promote positive mental health for people across Cambuslang and Rutherglen.

The Low Road tells the story of university student Ellie, who is guilt-ridden and heartbroken at the suicide of her best friend and hikes the Highlands to “find salvation amongst some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery” and is “led on a road to recovery from her time in nature”.

It was described as “moving, uplifting and hopeful”, and producer Sophie said of the response at the Rutherglen showing: “We were blown away by the audience engagement and the conversations afterwards.”

Healthy ‘n’ Happy executive lead Mark Soanes said: “This was a vital part of our Creating Hope In Our Community campaign. With its thought-provoking and powerful storyline, this film moved everyone in the audience, highlighting the impact of suicide.

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“We would encourage local residents, third sector, community groups, public sector and businesses to join our vital movement in opening up the conversation on mental health and addressing local need and to work collaboratively on ways to make a difference.”

He thanked 1st Class Credit Union for part-funding the showing; with the organisation’s director of operations Stacey Mitchinson adding: “It was a powerful movie and has really stayed with me. I hope that the film gets to all its intended audience.”

Nicola Reed of Cruse Scotland said: “This powerful and excellently crafted film goes a long way to help open difficult conversations about a number of different, often stigmatised, challenges that young people, their communities and families, face every day in Scotland.

“It beautifully and sensitively represents the impact being bereaved by suicide can have, but also leaves you with a sense of possibility that, even through the darkest of seasons, we can be beacons of hope for one another.”

More information on the Creating Hope In Our Community campaign including how to get involved is available at www.healthynhappy.org.uk/what-we-do/creatinghopeinourcommunity and by emailing peopleandcommunities@healthynhappy.org.uk or calling 0141 646 0123 (option 3).

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