A WOMAN whose boyfriend took his own life last year has left notes of comfort at known risk areas around the west of Scotland

Nicole Friel, 24, had been in a relationship with Stephen ‘Stef’ Colquhoun for five years before he died.

Nicole, from Drumchapel, told the Post Stef had struggled with his mental health for four years, but had opened up about his battles in August.

She said he had previously kept his troubles to himself through fears of “being judged and people finding it weird”. He had made two previous attempts at suicide.

Having struggled with her own mental health since Stef’s death, Nicole now wants to support others to talk about their own feelings.

She said: “Sometimes I would think about it but I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone.

“I now understand how he felt but it has given me a new outlook where I now know it isn’t helpful to bottle my feelings up.”

Nicole has been helped by her two friends to write out 500 notes of “comfort and hope” and has tied some of them to landmarks such as the Erskine Bridge and “Squinty Bridge”, as well as on fences at the Humphrey in the Kilpatrick Hills.

She now hopes to visit popular walk ways such as Balloch, Kelvingrove and Victoria Park, as well as railway stations.

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Nicole’s friends, Lauren Watson and Robyn Crane, who also knew Stef, have comforted Nicole since his death.

Lauren had battled with her own mental health in the past, and many of the quotes written on the notes come from a book her younger sister wrote for her when she was struggling.

One note reads: “Everything will be okay in the end, if it’s not okay it’s not the end”. Another says: “After a hurricane comes a rainbow.”

The trio has posted about their challenge on Facebook and Twitter, with British-American actor Calum Best, son of footballer George Best, retweeting Nicole as she told her followers to “spread the love”.

Nicole’s Facebook post has now been shared more than 120 times and one by Lauren more than 100 times.

Nicole said: “I can’t believe the impact it has had. I wanted to help prevent others from going through what Stef went through, and make people realise that leaving their families behind won’t solve anything.

“When I visited the Humphrey, I messaged Taylor McPhail, who had lost her dad last year, and asked if she would be okay if we tied a few to his memorial spot. She told me she loved the idea.

“It’s not selfish to open up and ask for help – it’s the bravest thing you could do.”

As well as many comments from people who have seen the notes, some have given personal insight into the difference it made to them.

One woman said: “For you to feel how you feel, to have suffered how you have, and to still want to make another person’s day better is just incredible and I hope you know this.

“Thank you for taking the time and effort. Your message came just at the right time and made all of the difference.”