A Field of 4,300 Lights launched to help raise men’s suicide awareness

A Field of 4,300 Lights is being switched on in Liverpool this month to help raise men’s suicide awareness.

The light project has been created by Liverpool dad-of-two Joe Jones who has personal experience of trying to take his own life.

Joe came up with the idea for a large scale illuminated installation which would feature a light representing every man lost to suicide in England each year.

He wanted it to be a powerful visual message about mental health crisis, encouraging people to stop, think and – if they’re struggling themselves – realise they’re not alone.

Since he launched the project in January, and founded Your Light Matters UK, a Liverpool-based mental health and suicide awareness initiative, Joe has been flooded with offers of support.

He now has a venue for the Field of 4,300 Lights and a date when it will officially launch.

He explains:

“After I originally spoke about the idea, Gemma who owns the Isla Gladstone in Stanley Park messaged me and said, I know what you’re doing, I love it and I’d like to help out so you can have my place for free.

“The Isla Gladstone is perfect because it’s right in the heart of Liverpool, it’s an iconic building, and there’s a fence around the perimeter so they’ve got plenty of grounds which are theirs.

“That’s why Gemma reached out, because she wanted to give us permission to use those grounds.

“The lights will be turned on at 6pm on Friday March 13, and then they’ll be on from 6pm to 10pm for three nights until Sunday March 15.

“The reason we picked that date was down to everyone’s availability but also because Liverpool are playing Tottenham at home on the Sunday and it’s a night game so we wanted to get the footfall of everyone going to the game.

“Fans going through Stanley Park will see the lights and why they’re there, and then hopefully donate.”

To launch the project, there’ll be entertainment on the Friday evening from Keith Xander from Xander and the Peace Pirates, Robbie Vincent, The Choir (formerly LMA Choir), and singer Che Chesterman who appeared on X Factor and last year made it to the top 12 on American Idol.

Alongside their individual sets, they’ll also come together to perform a poem written by Joe, The Field of 4300 Lights, which has been turned into a song.

Kirkby-based UK Events Group is doing the install in the days leading up to the switch on and Joe says any extra hands would be welcome.

“If anyone’s free from Tuesday to Thursday and they could come and help us install the lights that would be amazing. They don’t need any expertise, just whatever time they’ve got to put them in the ground would be really appreciated.

“We’re also putting a shout out for a PA company to help us with the singers on Friday, so if anyone’s able to they can get in touch on social or email.”

Joe says the Stanley Park installation is the first of many he has planned.

“The reaction has been really good, so I’m going to do proposals for a few others and try and get as many people and places involved as possible. We want to take it further in and around Liverpool and then across the UK in the long run, that’s the aim.

“We’ve also created Light for a Life, so if somebody wants to donate and sponsor a light they can. We’ll send them a certificate to show they, and their lost loved one, have supported and been a part of the project.”