A Haverfordwest man will cycle for 24 hours today (Friday) in remembrance of his brother and to raise awareness of mental health issues.

Lee Anson, 43, will take to his static bike at Tesco Haverfordwest at 8pm this evening and hopes his legs will last until 8pm the following day. All money he raises will go to mental health charity Mind.

“I’m aiming to do the full 24 hours. If I need to change my clothes or have a toilet break, the clock will be stopped. I want to do this properly,” said Lee.

“I’m raising funds for MIND, because they’re an unsung charity that provides an amazing support service.” Lee’s younger brother, Michael ‘Mikeyboy’ Anson committed suicide in 2012. One of triplets, the popular boxing enthusiast was 37. “People find it very difficult to talk about mental health issues,” said Lee.

“It’s still a taboo subject. I’m hoping I can raise awareness and perhaps break a few barriers down. It’ll also be nice to refresh people’s memories about Mikey.” Since his brother’s death, Lee has experienced depression. He feels that although the condition can be difficult to detect, there are signs that indicate someone is suffering and suicide can be prevented.

Suicide affects men over 35 more than any other age group and, statistically, men are less likely to seek help.

“They might fall in to quiet moments, or have little bouts of depression that become more frequent. Looking back now, with Mikey, there were subtle differences in him before he died,” Lee explained.

“You don’t need to understand depression to support someone who suffers from it. Sometimes I’ll have a really bad day, but I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who pick me up.

"If you are suffering, don’t be afraid to go and get help.”

To support Lee, you can either donate on the day at Tesco or search www.justgiving.com for: “Don’t be afraid, just believe”.