September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and we're remembering efforts to help stop people from taking their own lives.

The Three Dads on one of their walks (Image: Three Dads Walking)

Someone who has become famous for doing just this is Cumbria's own Andy Airey, who, after losing his daughter Sophie in 2018, set out to raise awareness and funds for the young suicide prevention charity Papyrus as one of the Three Dads Walking.

A book by the Three Dads Walking (Image: Three Dads Walking)

"We had no idea that we would attract so much attention," said Tim Owen, who joined Andy and Mike Palmer to walk from Cumbria to Norfolk in the summer of 2021. "We're three normal blokes from three different parts of the country, from different backgrounds, with a common cause. We just wanted to raise £3,000 and a bit of suicide prevention awareness."

Donna Mahoney, from Currock, Carlisle, widow of Peter, who took his own life after serving in Iraq (Image: Newsquest)

They had met because they had all lost their daughters to suicide and wanted to do something to process their grief, and to help stop other families experiencing what they had gone through.

Paul Gurney of SOBS (Survivors Of Bereavement by Suicide) (Image: Newsquest)

"We chose to push back, to not allow it to overwhelm us, to build something positive from the shattered pieces of our lives. We wanted to do something and that is what it became: Three Dads Walking."

Andrew Robinson, 48, from Whitehaven was doing a sponsored run to raise awareness of Survivors Of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) in memory of his brother Ian (Image: Newsquest)

Their quest - to walk through each of their home counties, from the Lakeland fells, through the Peak District dales, to the open, exposed fens of East Anglia - quickly caught the attention of BBC Breakfast then press agencies all over the world, and gained celebrity support.

Sally Jenning (right) from Wiggonby near Wigton and Carole Steel were running a sponsored marathon to raise awareness of young suicide and the charity Papyrus (Image: Newsquest)

"I was at the station waiting for my train to Penrith, wondering what I'd signed up for," said Tim. "Then my phone pinged with a WhatsApp message from the charity Papyrus - Daniel Craig was donating £10,000."

Friends of The Rev Isaac Lawrence of Scotby, Cotehill and Cumwhinton died following a suicide bomb in Peshawar, Pakistan (Image: Newsquest)

There was no turning back at that point, and the men not only completed the walk (and one year later completed another of twice the distance), raised more than a million pounds, met with government about suicide prevention, but have also published a book recounting their experience.

Sally Jenkins (left) from Langwathby organised a charity ball with the help of her friend Mairi Black (right) in aid of Papyrus (Image: Newsquest)

Based on journals they kept independently, 'Three Dads Walking: 300 Miles of Hope' is a powerful and uplifting book, giving each man's story of family and friendship, purpose and hope. They share their personal tragedies but also what they have learnt together, their coping strategies and their motivation for the future.