Liverpool DJs unite to support city’s suicide prevention and mental health charities

Liverpool DJs are coming together for a massive music event this summer to help support five of the city’s top mental health and suicide prevention charities.

Lee Butler, Mark Armstrong, Robbie Edwards and Lil John are among those appearing at The Launch at WAV on August bank holiday weekend.

More than 25 DJs and live performers will take part in the event which aims to raise awareness as well as a hoped-for £30,000 for Paul’s Place, James’ Place, Sean’s Place, The Florrie and The Jade L Roberts Project.

It’s been organised by Ste James, founder of State of Mind Events, whose goal is to unite people through music while spreading the message of suicide prevention and the mental health support that’s available across the city region.

State of Mind is a passion project for 44-year-old Ste who’s faced his own battles and traumas over the last few decades.

He said:

“I thought I’d always managed to deal with them. but in truth I’d never faced them.”

And Ste adds:

“It gets overwhelming.”

Ste, 44, an IT project manager, is now talking about the experiences he’s faced as he comes to term with them himself and speaking out to help others.

“I’ve had a number of traumatic events in my life that I’d never really dealt with, and they’ve nearly broken me,” says Ste, from West Derby. 

“I lost my sister a year ago, I’m caring for my mum who has dementia, and then I split up with my partner.

“On Mother’s Day this year, I realised it had all become too much.”

He said:

“I never want anyone else to feel like I did on that day.

“Getting therapy – from Robbie Edwards, one of the DJs taking part who’s also a therapist – has been a massive thing for me.  

“I used running to manage my traumas for many years, and now I’m actually dealing with them head on. I want to help others realise that there is help out there. There is support.

“And if you can’t take that step, maybe you can find one person you can speak to; let them help and guide you.

“Find your safe space. Find your safe person.  Speak to someone.

“If I can help one person, it will be worth all the effort.”

Ste continues:

“Be ready too to be there for others. To ask if someone’s not okay, and to be there to listen and support. Look out for the signs that someone might be struggling.”

State of Mind is a personal mission for Ste and, along with music events and festivals – which he’s organised in the past – he hopes its social sites will become places people can turn to for wellness and wellbeing help and support.

Along with the event on Sunday, August 30, at WAV, he is already planning a Christmas event on December 5: “That can be one of the most isolating times for people.”

If music support in the city goes well, he’d like to take it across the UK.

“I never want anyone to get to the dark place I got to, but to know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

“It can be as easy as looking through your mobile to find one person you feel you can open up to, or it can be turning up to an event because music is a big thing in helping people to reconnect and understand what support is out there.

“I want to turn pain into a purpose,” vows Ste.

Find more information about State of Mind and The Launch here.

Find more Liverpool events on our calendar.

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