Grieving mum calls for more suicide awareness

STANDING TOGETHER: Toran Henry's mother Maria Bradshaw and former girlfriend Isabella Menzies march down Queen St to raise awareness of teen suicide.

BEN CAMPBELL/Suburban Newspapers

UNITED: Some of the hundreds of people on today's march.

BEN CAMPBELL/Surburban Newspapers

REMEMBERING: Friends of Toran Henry at today's march.

GET THE MESSAGE: One of those helping to raise awareness of youth suicide at today's rally.

BEN CAMPBELL/Surburban Newspapers

STILL GREIVING: Toran's mother Maria Bradshaw says New Zealand needs to seek advice from overseas countries so that the situation here is no longer allowed to continue the way it is.

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Hundreds of people took to the streets today to remember Auckland teenager Toran Henry and raise awareness of youth suicide.

Toran committed suicide at his home in April. Today would have been the Takapuna Grammar School student's 18th birthday.

A rally took place in central Auckland as well as Blenheim today. A a silent protest was also expected to take place outside parliament in Wellington.

Each of the marches began at 11.54am, the exact time Toran was born.

Toran's mother Maria Bradshaw lead the Auckland rally from Britomart to Aotea Square, along with Toran's former girlfriend Isabella Menzies.

A number of high profile television and sporting celebrities also joined in the marches, as well as many parents and high school students concerned about the issue of youth suicide.

Ms Bradshaw says New Zealand needs to seek advice from overseas countries so that the situation here is no longer allowed to continue the way it is. "Mental health and education services are failing our teens. "Change needs to happen now," she says.

She is calling for more government accountability and effective programmes and outreach centres for vulnerable teenagers.

- © Fairfax NZ News