Key Points
- Sarah Tate, the person who started the Sarahs Community Challenges Project (SCCP) has been chosen as the project lead for Oldham in the Baton of Hope 2027 tour.
- She is one of 20 project leads picked from 60 applications after a tough selection process done by the Tour Organising Committee.
- The Baton of Hope started in 2023 by fathers who lost their children to suicide. It is the suicide prevention project in the UK and also a national awareness movement.
- Oldham will be one of 21 places in the UK where the tour takes place. Other places include cities like Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool and Sheffield.
- As project lead Sarah Tate will create a committee to plan the route the people who carry the baton the volunteers the water stops, the lunches and the road closures.
- Applications for baton bearers will start in September 2026. The deadline is 21 January 2027.
- Mike McCarthy, who is one of the co-founders of The Baton of Hope said that the communities that were visited in tours showed a lot of interest and had a very positive reaction.
- Every place has to handle its fundraising. Sarahs team is planning fundraisers and is looking for sponsors and support, from local people.
Oldham (Manchester Mirror) August 15, 2026 – A Lees community champion is set to put uk/local/oldham/">Oldham on the national map after being selected as project lead for the borough in the nationwide Baton of Hope 2027 tour. Sarah Tate, who runs Sarah’s Community Challenges Project (SCCP) to raise money for local groups and causes, is one of just 20 individuals chosen for the demanding role from 60 applications.
The Baton of Hope was established in 2023 by fathers bereaved by suicide and has grown into the country’s largest suicide prevention initiative and national awareness movement. The initiative uses a specially designed physical baton and nationwide tours to break the stigma around mental health, unite communities, and promote a zero-suicide vision.
After being involved when the Baton of Hope, which is held every two years, came to Tameside in 2025, Sarah Tate decided to nominate Oldham as a stop for the next tour and herself as a project lead. Her application was selected, along with 19 others, out of 60 applications following a rigorous process conducted by the Tour Organising Committee.
Sarah Tate said: “This is a great opportunity to showcase Oldham in a positive light and a prime chance to raise awareness about mental health. I didn’t expect the application to be successful but it was! This is a big deal for the borough and everyone we can help”.
Who is Sarah Tate and what is her community work?
Sarah Tate is the founder of Sarah’s Community Challenges Project (SCCP), an initiative dedicated to raising money for local groups and causes in the Oldham area. Her selection as project lead for Oldham marks what she describes as her biggest challenge yet, building on her track record of community engagement and fundraising.
As reported by the Saddleworth Independent, Sarah Tate’s involvement in community challenges has previously focused on raising funds for local groups and causes through SCCP. Her experience in organising community events and mobilising volunteers positions her to lead the complex logistics required for hosting a Baton of Hope tour location.
How will the Baton of Hope 2027 tour operate in Oldham?
As project lead, Sarah Tate will put together a committee whose responsibilities will include organising the local route, water stops, lunches, baton bearers and volunteers, and road closures. Each location is responsible for their own fundraising so Sarah and her team will plan a variety of fundraisers as well as looking for sponsors and local support.
In September 2026, applications will be open for Baton Bearers for each location, with a deadline to apply by 21 January 2027. This timeline allows communities across Oldham to participate directly in the tour by carrying the baton along designated routes.
Mike McCarthy, Co-Founder of The Baton of Hope, said: “We have been astounded by the profound engagement generated by the Tours and witnessing just how warm and positive the reaction is from the places we visit. To those who applied to be Project Leads and host one of the locations next year – thank you. Without people like you up and down the country, we wouldn’t be in our third year of this initiative that continues to build momentum and visibility of this increasingly important topic”.
Which locations will host the Baton of Hope 2027 tour?
The Baton of Hope 2027 tour will visit 21 locations across the United Kingdom. The confirmed tour locations are: Bath and North East Somerset, Birmingham, Cardiff, Doncaster, Hampshire, Hull, Isle of Man, Kilmarnock & East Ayrshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, Luton, Northumberland, Northern Ireland, Nottingham, Oldham, Plymouth, Reigate, Scottish Borders, Sheffield, and Watford.
Oldham’s inclusion places it alongside major cities and regions, reflecting the national scale of the suicide prevention initiative. The tour’s biennial schedule means the next Baton of Hope will take place in 2029, building on the momentum generated in 2023, 2025, and 2027.
Background of the Baton of Hope Development
The Baton of Hope was founded in 2023 by fathers who had been bereaved by suicide, emerging from personal tragedy into a national movement for suicide prevention. The initiative was created to address the stigma surrounding mental health discussions and to provide a visible, community-based platform for raising awareness about suicide prevention.
The physical baton serves as a symbolic object that travels across communities, with each location hosting its own leg of the tour. The tour operates on a biennial cycle, with previous tours taking place in 2023 and 2025, and the 2027 tour representing the third iteration of the initiative.
The selection process for project leads involves a rigorous application and review conducted by the Tour Organising Committee. For the 2027 tour, 60 applications were received, from which 20 project leads were selected to host locations across the UK.
Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Oldham Residents
The selection of Oldham as a Baton of Hope 2027 tour location is likely to have several effects on the borough’s residents and community organisations. Mental health awareness is expected to increase as the tour brings national attention to suicide prevention efforts in Oldham.
Local community groups and charities may benefit from the fundraising activities that Sarah Tate and her committee will organise, as each location is responsible for generating its own financial support for the initiative. The involvement of volunteers as baton bearers and support staff could strengthen community cohesion and provide opportunities for civic engagement.
The positive portrayal of Oldham in a national suicide prevention campaign may also improve the borough’s external reputation, countering negative narratives that sometimes dominate media coverage of the area. For individuals affected by suicide or mental health challenges, the tour could provide a platform for sharing experiences and accessing support resources.
The long-term impact will depend on the success of fundraising efforts, the level of community participation, and whether the awareness generated translates into sustained mental health support initiatives in Oldham beyond the 2027 tour.
