Bermuda Mental Health Foundation has partnered with The Weekenders Running Group to launch a suicide prevention and depression awareness campaign.

The Message In A Bottle Campaign, which will run throughout March, will involve about messages being placed in about 200 glass bottles around the island.

Bermudians will be challenged to locate a bottle, review the message and sign that they have reviewed it via a special link at the end of the message.

The campaign will also feature a large canvas placed outside of City Hall, where the Foundation will encourage community members to write something that will encourage someone who is dealing with depression or thoughts of suicide.

Community members Deborah Pharaoh-Williams and Tali Gabai-Maiato tragically lost their siblings to suicide.

As a result, they have teamed up to share their experience with the hope that they can help the public aware of the signs of depression and ultimately prevent suicide. They also have joined together to cope and encourage with each other’s loss.

Organiser Jodi Lewis said in a statement: “The Weekenders Running Group came together to raise money, donated and public awareness to the Bermuda Mental Health Foundation for the purpose of saving and increasing the quality of life for those who suffer from depression.

“The Bermuda Mental Health Foundation advocates for those who suffer from mental illness and we are extremely thankful for the generosity of The Weekenders Running Group and those who supported their efforts.

“We are hopeful that after a successful campaign our small community will be more aware of the signs of depression, how to save someone’s life and reduce the suicide rate overall.”

The locations of the glass bottles will be published via the Foundation’s website at www.bmhf.bm, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.