A Tyne Valley mum has paid tribute to her “bright and colourful” daughter who “touched so many people’s lives”.
Jodi Walsham, from Humshaugh, died in January after taking her own life, aged 23.
Her mum, Jayne, said Jodi had suffered from anxiety since she was young, but said: “If it wasn’t for Covid, she’d still be here- I know that.”
Jodi, who went to Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, spent a year in Vietnam after she graduated from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in 2018, where she studied community drama and applied theatre.
When Jodi returned from Vietnam, she had a job lined up to be a mentor in a school. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, the job offer was taken away.
“She needed stability. She needed a purpose in life. That’s why when she was at LIPA, she managed to get herself through university, even though the anxiety was bad, because she had structure and she was busy constantly,” Jayne said.
“The lockdown- she just couldn’t cope with it. She just couldn’t settle.”
Jodi moved to Glasgow after she got a job in the city. But when the next lockdown hit, that job went as well.
“She just literally crumbled.”
Jayne said there should be more mental health support for people.
She added it’s not just about funding for support, but rather how it is managed.
A talented singer, Jodi sang on a song she produced last August, and Jayne said they have decided to release it to raise awareness on mental health and for donations received to go to two local charities.
One is Core Music in Hexham, a non-profit organisation which aims to make music accessible to all in the community and who are helping to improve the song’s sound quality before it is soon released.
The other is Lawnmowers, a theatre company run by and for people with learning difficulties. Jodi was a member of Humshaugh Youth Theatre from 2005 to 2011.
They also later hope to be able to support a mental health charity.
“She was so talented, but she never pushed it out there,” Jayne said. “She had so much to give.”
“Jodi sang from being a little girl,” Jayne said. “You could play a song to Jodi once and she would know the words.
“Music was a huge part of her life and always was.”
Following Jodi’s death, a remembrance Facebook page was set up for her friends and family to post their pictures and memories of her.
“That kept me going for the first two weeks. It’s incredible what’s on there, if only she knew what people really thought of her,” Jayne said.
Whilst people shared their different memories, all posts shared the common theme of Jodi’s fun-loving, energetic personality and how she helped so many.
“Jodi had an impact on people, and not just young people, people of all ages. She touched so many people’s lives and every one of them say that she helped them in some way,” Jayne said.
“That depressed person was not Jodi. I don’t want people to have this stigma about mental health, this person sitting all depressed, that’s not what it’s about.
“These people are walking around with mental health issues have got jobs, they’re doing all sorts.
“It’s like any other illness. Cancer can hit anybody, mental illness can hit anybody.”
Anyone who needs support should call Samaritans for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit their website.
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