A new Centre offering support to families who have lost loved ones through suicide has officially opened its doors today in north Belfast.

PIPS House in Duncairn Gardens will offer advice and support for bereaved families as well as those living with family members who self-harm.

The Chairman of PIPS, Philip McTaggart, which is named after his 17-year-old son who he lost through suicide, today welcomed the opening of the centre, adding that it could save dozens of lives in the "suicide blackspot" by offering the support and counselling.

He said the centre would be of great benefit to the people of Belfast as it was a resource that has not been available in the past, one that would hopefully save lives in the process. He said: "We want to offer a joined up approach in the new centre to tackling the issues surrounding suicide."

Community, voluntary and statutory agencies have all worked on the initiative, which offers drug and alcohol advice facilities and counselling.

Visitors will be able to take part in a number of classes including art and family support as well as being able to receive complementary therapy by Ashton Stress Centre practitioners. The centre will also be a base for the setting up of a number of neighbourhood response teams in the area.

The Baton Rouge Crisis and Intervention Centre in Louisiana provided training to some of the PIPS volunteers to enable them to deliver the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) programme.

Representatives of the North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust also attended the event, during which, a number of families shared their personal experiences

Jo Murphy of the North Belfast Partnership Board's Health and Social Well-being Forum also welcomed the opening of the facility.

She added that the centre was a chance to reach out to the community and offered somewhere for people to go to openly discuss their problems.

(EF/SP)