FIVE years ago Chloe Saysell was rescued from a Newport bridge after attempting to end her life.

Then 21 years old, her long battle with depression had reached its peak, and she could see no other way out of her spiral.

After seeing her climbing over the bridge on July 22 2014, passer-by Leah Morgan rushed to grab her legs and pull her to safety.

Miss Saysell spent the following 18 months in hospital, where she began a programme of recovery which she says is still ongoing.

Locked in a ward for much of her time in hospital, she recalled the months she spent there, saying: “I was there for a long time and for the majority of it I had to be locked in because they were fearful I might try and end my life again.

South Wales Argus:

Chloe Saysell with some of her recovery packages

“After 18 months I told them I wanted to go home, and I was told I was able to go back to my parents in Chepstow. Then after a couple of months I moved out of my parents’ house and into my own home in Caldicot. For the first time I felt the moment had come for me to stand on my own two feet.”

She attributes her continuing recovery to the hospital staff and her now thriving charity work for others suffering with mental health issues.

The work Miss Saysell does involves making gift boxes filled with items that will help mental health sufferers deal with their condition.

“I fill the boxes with items which help me with my mental health,” she said.

“Things like sensory toys, bath bombs and mindfulness books usually go into the boxes. People with mental health issues often like to feel comfort, which is what the gifts are designed for.

“My motivation came from when I was in hospital. When I was there, we were always encouraged to give recovery boxes to each other as a way of self-help. I really liked doing it and I realised that there aren’t enough people who do that kind of thing.”

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Two years ago she decided she wanted to start making the recovery boxes herself, but she says in hindsight she wasn’t mentally ready to do it as well as she could.

Then around a year later, she started sending the boxes more often, and she is surprised at how much attention her packages have received.

“I started sending them to various hospitals around the country at first - perhaps a few a week,” she said.

“Then I started receiving requests from people, and interest in the boxes just shot up.”

Miss Saysell's Facebook page ‘Chloe’s Recovery Packages’ now has more than 3,500 followers, and she has delivered more than 250 packages.

“My notebook is full of hospitals and individuals waiting for packages, and I also do a lot of boxes for children who are struggling,” she said.

She is eager to point out that she is not at the end of her journey with her own mental health issues.

“I still struggle with my mental health and I still go to hospital quite often,” she said.

“Sometimes I’m okay and sometimes I’m just getting by, but that’s okay with me.”

She believes that increasing awareness of mental health is a significant boost for sufferers, and long overdue.

“I’m really pleased to see people talking about it more now. If that was the case when I was a teenager, I think I’d have been better for it. It’s so important that we continue to talk about our feelings,” she said.

She feels her charity boxes have changed her life and have helped her combat her own difficulties.

“It helps me to help others,” she said.

“I know what they (mental health sufferers) are going through, and I can empathise with them. It’s what I’ve been through and what I am still going through. It has given me something to live for.”

Miss Saysell makes and delivers her gift boxes with the help of donations. You can donate to ‘Chloe’s Recovery Packages’ by clicking here.