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'My worst fear is that my child will be forgotten'

Jayne Walsham Jodi Jayne Walsham is in the foreground and is wearing a striped top and a helmet. Her Mum Jayne Walsham is on a bike behind her. She is wearing a blue top and a helmet Jayne Walsham
Jayne Walsham said her daughter, who died in 2021, was "quirky and beautiful"

A woman who organised the making of a quilt to remember loved ones who took their own lives said her worst fear was that her daughter would "be forgotten".

Jayne Walsham, from Humshaugh in Northumberland, led a project to create a Speak Their Name quilt for the county.

Jodi Jayne Walsham died in January 2021 after struggling with her mental health during Covid.

Mrs Walsham said her daughter was "caring, compassionate, quirky, colourful, beautiful and hilarious".

"She had the temper of the Tasmanian devil, but she lit up every room she went in," she said.

Jayne Walsham The memorial quilt is made up of 37 panels, five across and seven down. They each show a difterent image - some have the of a person, others are just symbols Jayne Walsham
The quilt will be on display at a number of venues in Northumberland during 2025

Mrs Walsham said she had made a square for a Yorkshire quilt, as her husband's family came from Sheffield and she felt she had a connection.

She felt it "wasn't the right time" for her to contribute to a North East version, but later decided "to do one just for Northumberland".

"The quilt and its message - Speak Their Name - means just that, come up to me and talk about Jodi, that's what I want," she said.

Jayne Walsham The panels are each framed and seen together on a table.Jayne Walsham
The panels are made by family members in memory of someone lost to suicide

The quilt is made of 35 squares but, in some cases, families have contributed two or three, either created on their own or in special workshops.

"We've met people who have never met another person who have lost a loved one or family member to suicide," Mrs Walsham said.

"It brings people together, it creates community and that creates resilience and that's what we need to keep going."

Jayne Walsham A close-up of Jodi Jayne Walsham, who has blonde hair tied up and dark eyebrows and a pierced nose. She is wearing a necklace and a colourful shirt.Jayne Walsham
The North East has one of the highest suicide rates for any region in England

According to the Office for National Statistics, the North East has one of the highest rates of suicide in the country and numbers are increasing up by 15.1% from 2022 to 2023.

"People are worried about upsetting you by saying your child's name but the reality is that it's worse when they don't," Mrs Walsham said.

The quilt is on display at The Sill at Once Brewed near Hexham until 27 December and then at other venues throughout 2025.

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