Survivors of Suicide & Friends / Winter Solstice

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Survivors of Suicide & Friends / Winter Solstice

We are advocates for preventing and destigmatising su***de, and hosts of the Winter Solstice. Join us for our online Winter Solstice - Sun June 21, 2026.
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Anyone who has been impacted by su***de is welcome into our community, no matter their experience. OUR STORY

Survivors of Su***de and Friends is an Albury-based organisation whose aim is to bring the subject of su***de and mental illness into the public forum to be addressed without shame or stigma. Annette and Stuart Baker, co-founders of Survivors of Su***de and Friends, lost their daughter Mar

y to su***de in 2011. Su***de has a lasting impact on so many who are still living – and yet, Annette and Stuart struggled to find a community or a support group with shared experiences of a loved one dying by su***de. That the loneliness of loss was isolating – but what Annette and Stuart believed, passionately, is that it doesn’t have to be. Survivors of Su***de and Friends was formed in 2013 as an inclusive, supportive community; the word ‘friends’ referring to anyone and everyone who has been affected by a person’s death by su***de. And while our organisation was created in the wake of a terrible loss, it grows in the light of bringing people together with a common cause. The Winter Solstice is an annual event where communities gather on the longest night of the year to reflect, remember, and share their experiences around su***de and mental illness. With incredible guest speakers and artists, the Winter Solstice brings us together to heal and to support one another. Our next event will be on Saturday 21 June 2025. Please note that Survivors of Su***de and Friends cannot provide direct help or medical advice but we can offer a list of useful contacts - see under Services on our website: https://survivorsofsu***de.org.au/services/

If you, or anyone you know needs immediate help, please call 000. If you are in crisis, Lifeline call service is available 24/7 - please call 13 11 14. If you are looking to speak to someone about your lived experience or are bereaved by su***de, the Peer Care Connect Warmline is a 48 hour callback service. Please call 1800 777 337 or alternatively visit their website:
https://rosesintheocean.com.au/sector-priorities-collaborations/peer-care-companion-warmline/

16/06/2026

This Sunday, we’re bringing together an exceptional group of speakers, performers, and artists. Some with lived experience of su***de loss, some with experiences of mental ill health, and some who have lived through all of the above ❤️

Together, we’ll be taking a gentle look back, to look forward. Through conversations, songs, and moments of stillness, we invite you to join us on the darkest night of the year to find the light ahead.

You can catch this amazing line up and at this year's Winter Solstice online - Sunday June 21 at 6:00PM AEST.

14/06/2026

There's just one week to go before this year's Winter Solstice event ❤️

We're bringing together a truly special group of speakers, performers, and people with experience of losing someone to su***de, as well as people who live with mental ill health.

Through conversations, songs, and moments of stillness, we'll be taking a gentle look back to look forward - to reflect together on the darkest night, and to find the light ahead.

13/06/2026

Meet JJ. He is a mental health advocate in his own right, leading the Last Man Stands social cricket club and bringing important conversations about su***de and mental ill health into his own community.

We are so grateful that JJ will be hosting a screening of this year’s Winter Solstice with Last Man Stands and local partners at Thirsty Devil in Albury. Getting together with local clubs and community is a great way to join our Winter Solstice live stream this year.

11/06/2026

Our final guest for this year’s Winter Solstice, we’re delighted to announce, is Tim Rogers.

Hailing from a mining town in WA, Tim Rogers' remarkable resume spans the worlds of music, film, television, stage and literature. Tim is most widely known as the frontman of acclaimed Australian rock n' roll band You Am I, who were recently inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Tim has talked openly about his early struggles with anxiety and use of alcohol to cope, and the subsequent damage this addiction has had on him personally and professionally. Now in his late forties, in spite of these challenges and with a kit bag of experience and wisdom under his belt, he has become a fully-formed, truly modern Australian icon.

We are so delighted to have Tim joining our online Winter Solstice on June 21, 6:00PM AEST. If you’d like to join, you can register for our event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BNpo5gR4Z/

10/06/2026

The Winter Solstice will be screening at Public House Albury on 21 June - the details for their event are included below ❤️

08/06/2026

Our next Winter Solstice guest, we're delighted to announce, is Martin Ingle.

Martin is an independent writer, filmmaker, and producer and self-described 'worry wart'. Following an appearance on the ABC's ‘You Can't Ask That’, Martin’s honest and humorous writing has appeared in The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and books including Try Not To Think Of A Pink Elephant. His flagship comedy TV series Pink Elephants, about the much-misunderstood intrusive thoughts of OCD, is currently in development.

Having recovered from a sudden onset of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder in his early twenties, Martin has become a valued voice for people experiencing OCD, helping to demystify the condition for others through his work.

We are looking forward to having Martin join us at this year's Winter Solstice online - Sunday June 21, 6:00PM AEST. The event link to join is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1R2a3tL5Yb

07/06/2026

Survivors of Su***de and Friends and our Winter Solstice couldn't exist without our incredible community support ❤️

Held annually on the 21st of June, the Winter Solstice is a free event for everyone – not just for those who are personally affected by su***de and mental ill health. Through conversations, speeches, songs, and moments of stillness, we come together to reflect and to find the light ahead.

Beyond our Winter Solstice event, we work year-round to support those affected by su***de and mental ill health. Through dedicated community outreach, collating and sharing support resources to those surviving a su***de loss, and our ongoing advocacy efforts, we are constantly working to make sure that nobody has to face su***de alone.

We have relied on the generous support of our community donors to help us fund our work. This support has meant that we have always been able to make the Winter Solstice event free for all to attend, including this year's live stream.

Even a small donation will allow us to keep up our outreach, support, and advocacy efforts, and ensure that Survivors of Su***de and Friends can continue to lead conversations and events into the future. As we come to the end of financial year, you can donate today via our website - the link is here: https://survivorsofsu***de.org.au/contact-us/

Image credit: Manifeasto Photography

03/06/2026

We're delighted to announce the next guest at this year's Winter Solstice, Emma Donovan.

Emma is a celebrated Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter, known for her powerful voice and heartfelt storytelling. A proud Gumbaynggirr and Noongar woman, Emma began her musical journey at the age of seven, performing with her family’s band, The Donovans.

Emma’s music is deeply rooted in her cultural heritage, often featuring songs in Gumbaynggirr and Noongar languages. Her work continues to inspire and resonate, making her a vital voice in Australia’s musical landscape. In her words, “the heartbreak songs I’ve written I’ve definitely experienced and are real. I’m not trying to make up anything - it’s just me trying to get out of a bloody hard place.”

We hope you'll join us to watch Emma perform and share some of her story at this year's Winter Solstice online - Sunday June 21 at 6:00PM AEST. The event link is in our comments below.

01/06/2026

Yesterday we met with Hume Bank - longtime supporters of Survivors of Su***de and Friends.

We are incredibly grateful to have the support of partners like Hume Bank, who have helped us bring the Winter Solstice to life both within the Albury Wodonga community, and now in our live stream where we can reach an even larger community with our event ❤️

29/05/2026

We are very excited to announce that Mark Coles Smith will be taking part in this year's Winter Solstice event.

Mark Coles Smith is a proud Nyikina man. With a gift for storytelling, he works across several performing arts genres as an actor, writer, producer and sound designer. You may recognise Mark for his award-winning performance as Detective Jay Swan in ABC’s Mystery Road: Origin, his featured role in Netflix’s mini-series Apple Cider Vinegar, or his performance alongside Star Wars' Daisy Ridley in feature film We Bury The Dead.

When Mark was in his early twenties his best friend tragically died by su***de. Mark created the Keeping Hope documentary to address the alarming Indigenous su***de crisis in Australia, specifically in his home region of the Kimberley.

It's a true privilege for Mark to share his story with us, and we're delighted that will be a part of our event this year.

You can tune in to hear Mark's story on Sunday 21 June at the year's Winter Solstice. We'll be live streaming the event on Facebook - sign up here:https://www.facebook.com/share/1R2a3tL5Yb

Address

QEll Dean Street
Albury, NSW
2640

Website

https://survivorsofsuicide.org.au/

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