TOWNS and cities across the country hung colourful pompoms in a shared effort to raise awareness of mental health problems while remembering Holly Cowlam.

Originally from Bude, Holly Cowlam was just 28 years old when she took her own life on July 9, 2018, just a week after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

On February 13 of this year, Holly would have celebrated her 29th birthday with the people she loved. To remember her, Holly’s sister Anna Cessford came up with a wonderful idea to create ‘pombombs’ to decorate public spaces, while raising awareness of mental health problems and encouraging people to speak out. Holly was a creative person, who loved making pompoms with her sister and cousins for different craft projects.

The pombombs’ purpose was to remind anyone struggling with a mental health problem to speak to those closest to them, and to never suffer in silence.

Holly is the younger daughter of John and Janey Walter, both of whom were brought up in Bude, with Holly’s three surviving grandparents still living in the local area. The family lived at Hollabury Road, with Holly attending Bude Infant School until the family moved to Totnes in 1994.

Holly went on to study psychology at Reading University and continued to volunteer with children living with special needs. On moving to London, she discovered a school that worked with children on the autistic spectrum in a very particular, pioneering way. She worked there as a one-to-one ABA tutor for a number of years, before going self-employed as a tutor and taking on further studies for her masters degree. Her supervisor at the time described Holly as ‘inspirational’ and particularly noted that she ‘brought heart to what could be seen as an academic approach to learning’.

Holly was dedicated to her career and work with children, being a popular individual with both her colleagues and the children she saw on a daily basis. After gaining a distinction in her masters degree, she returned to the school she worked at previously to work as a supervisor, which was run by Beyond Autism.

John, Holly’s father, said: “To most of her friends, Holly was the one that motivated them to meet up and socialise regularly. She always had time for them and helped and supported them in any way she could. She was a well-loved singer in The Owl Parliament, a South London choir which sang at her wedding and her funeral.”

In June 2018, Holly began to struggle with anxiety and depression. She reluctantly took some time off work and visited the doctor, who diagnosed her with depression. It is believed Holly felt ashamed of this diagnosis, and despite being surrounded by good friends and wonderful family, who were supporting her in any way they could, she took her own life on July 9 last year.

John continued: “Her sister Anna has created Holly’s Pombombs as a way of celebrating her life and raising awareness of mental health, encouraging others to reach out to a friend during those darker times when it may feel impossible.”

On February 13, 2019, it would have been Holly’s 29th birthday. As a way to honour Holly and raise awareness of mental health, hundreds of people from all over the world made pompoms and ‘pombombed’ them in public spaces with a poster telling Holly’s story and raising mental health awareness. In total, there were 90 pombomb sites across 36 towns and cities in nine different countries.

Anna, Holly’s sister, said: “The pombombs have felt like tiny sparks of colour lighting up the grey that has settled in our hearts. We have felt so happy to witness Holly’s story starting conversations, encouraging openness and giving people strength.

“If we have even gone part of the way to helping one family avoid the heartache we now have for the rest of our lives, it has been a thousand times worth it. We intend to continue this each year on Holly’s birthday.”