'One death can have a ripple effect' Mental health plea for Lancashire project
‘Over the past eight years, 54 men and 10 women here have taken their own lives or died through issues with alcohol, drugs, grief or depression - including my sister’.
People with drink, drugs and depression problems – especially men – need to be helped in a new £20m Lancashire regeneration project, a community centre leader believes.
Amanda-Jane Hardwick of the Evermoor Hub in the Digmoor area of Skelmersdale says health problems and grief around local tragic deaths – including the murder of a teenage boy and people taking their own lives – are blighting many lives in a ‘ripple effect’.
We don’t need new buildings. What we need is help for people to recover – and after-care for them
Digmoor is the focus of £20m to be invested in the area in the next decade through the Government’s Pride In Place scheme, where local groups come together to deliver improvements for their local area.
Described as “the most significant neighbourhood‑level funding ever awarded in West Lancashire”, the Pride In Place investment is designed to support improvements in areas such as community and youth facilities, safer streets and public spaces, better access to services and investment in parks and local infrastructure.
And Amanda says the programme should be focused on residents’ physical and mental health, not fixing road potholes or costly property projects, adding: “It’s no good spending Pride In Place money to make Digmoor look nice on the outside if people are suffering inside.”
The Digmoor scheme will be managed by a new board including local residents and Amanda recently spoke to the board about what she sees as local priorities. She is the daughter of Margaret Highton, a community stalwart who has dedicated years of her life to the Evermoor Hub, community shop and food-bank.
Amanda spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about Digmoor’s needs and her own personal struggles with alcohol and family loss.
She said: “It’s good that £20m is being put into Digmoor but they don’t necessarily ask the right people about what is needed. Over the past eight years, 54 men and 10 women here have taken their own lives or died through issues with alcohol, drugs, grief or depression. They include my own sister, Lisa Hardwick, who had an alcohol-related illness.
“I’ve got a family tree-type diagram, showing all the local people who’ve been lost and the impact on their families and wider community. And one death can have a ripple effect. The murder of Dylan Bragger, who was only 15, in 2023, has impacted on his family, friends and the wider community. And mental health generally, especially for men, is a big issue.
“We need a local hub for men’s counselling and recreation. Currently, counselling services are based elsewhere, meaning people have to travel which is costly. But there are empty shops here which would be ideal for another hub, offering counselling and recreation for men – and women. There’s very little in Digmoor.
“People come to the Evermoor Hub with health problems but we haven’t got the capacity to help. But empty shops nearby could be developed with a café, social activities, drop-in sessions and gardening.”
She said Pete Bleasedale runs a nearby Thai boxing and fitness club for boys and men. But something else is needed for men with drink or drug problems. Digmoor does not have an Andy’s Man Club or similar support space for men, she added.
Amanda also believes the nearby Willows care home could be ideal for a health support hub, needing little investment.
She said: “It could be perfect for non-clinical support. There’s talk here about the need for a new doctors’ surgery. But we’ve already got a perfect building there. It could have triage services, taking the strain off the local GPs’ surgery. I think there are triage hubs in Burnley or Blackburn which do really well. We could have that here.
“We don’t need new buildings. What we need is help for people to recover – and after-care for them.
“It’s no good spending Pride In Place money to make Digmoor look nice on the outside if people are suffering inside. It would just be a façade. We shouldn’t spend lots of money on making houses or flats look really nice, if people inside can’t look after them because of health problems.”
Regarding people’s depression and distrust, she added: “Social media and politics are big problems, harming people’s moods and mental health. I’ve not had a TV in my house for 10 years and I don’t talk about politics. If you take-in all the negativity, it just brings you down.”
Regarding the new Pride in Place locally-run board, she said: “I was asked if I’d join it but I just don’t have enough time. I help at Evermoor Hub, look after my parents and have my own house to run. I’d love to join Pride In Place but it needs commitment. But it was nice that they asked me.”
The new board’s chairman is Digmoor man Kevin Davidson. He has worked in youth and education sectors and is a governor at three Skelmersdale primary schools.
Speaking about her own personal experiences, Amanda, aged 57, added: “I’ve been sober for three years. I was lucky to be able to stop drinking – but I’d reached rock bottom.
“In the past, I faced a choice of spending money on a bus or taxi fare to get counselling somewhere else – or buy another bottle. But the cost of living has become worse since then. It’s even harder now for people with problems to afford the cost of travel to get help.”
Amanda attended Glenburn School and Skelmersdale College when younger. She had different jobs over the years with West Lancashire Council and Lancashire County Council, and was also a single parent. She has been a volunteer at Evermoor Hub for 25 years.
Asked about her mum’s contribution to Digmoor, Amanda said: “I’m really proud of my mum. She’s the boss. She’s got the brains and I’ve got the brawn.”
Margaret Highton was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2020 for her services to the community.