Sian is organising a fundraiser for Mind after the tragic death of her brother.

A sister is organising a fundraiser for mental-health charity Mind after the death of her brother.

Sian Retter’s said her brother Steffan Rees took his own life in November last year, aged 26.

Sian now wants to raise money for the UK’s leading mental health charity and encourage men to talk about mental health.

Sian, from Balderton, (who is pictured above with Steffan) said: “None of us had any idea that he had any mental health problems or that he was suffering, he never told anyone. I spoke to him just the night before he died and he seemed fine.

“He had a lovely girlfriend and a great job, and we couldn’t believe it. Now this has happened to us, and we never thought it would, we realised it happens all the time.”

According to mentalhealth.org.uk, 75% of suicides in the UK are male, and this is the highest cause of death in men between the ages of 20 and 49.

“There’s still a stigma around it,” said Sian: “And men are always being told to ‘man up,’ which I hate, and it’s bringing up children to think that men shouldn’t cry, or talk about their feelings.”

Sian, mum to Nancy, 3, and 12-week-old baby Alice, will be holding a fundraising coffee morning and playgroup at Balderton Methodist Church Hall on Saturday, June 29, 9.30am-11.30am.

There will be children’s entertainment by Caterpillar Music, a cake sale, and a raffle with plenty of prizes donated by local businesses.