As many of you will know I lost my dad Phill last year after he commited suicide. I said last year those who were closest would never fully recover from the devestation caused by both his death and the way in which it happened.

Depression wears many masks, I know my dad was a victim of this treatable illness and nobody truly knew the anguish he was suffering until it was to late.

Male suicide statistics are twice as high as women's and personally  put this down to blokes not feeling able to "open up" and being told to "man up" instead of being encouraged to seek the help that IS available.

The reason we are fundraising is to highlight depression, whether it's your everyday blues or something more serious, I think most people suffer to some degree throughout their lives and more needs to be done to take the stigmatism away, especially to men.

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So please dig deep and donate now.