After getting the devastating news that his friend had taken his own life, Adam Mitchinson couldn’t understand how such a “happy” guy would do such a thing.

Mr Mitchinson had been pals with Simon for 10 years, after the pair first met while working at Holy Trinity Brompton in Knightsbridge.

Six months on from receiving the tragic news, the 37-year-old of Trumpington Road, Leytonstone is on a mission to raise awareness about mental health issues.

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The graphic designer, who has a two-year-old son, is preparing to cycle 400 miles from London to Hull and back, over the course of four days.

He hopes to raise £20,000, half of which will go to Simon’s wife Helen and the two young sons he left behind in Brisbane, Australia.

The other half of the cash raised will go to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a charity dedicated to the prevention of male suicide.

“It was just so difficult to understand and then that confusion just turns into grief,” he remembers about receiving the phone about Simon’s death.

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Mr Mitchinson has been training for the ride for over three months.

“If you had given me a list of all my friends and said one of these might take their own life he would have been the last person I would have said.

“He was so level headed and the type of guy you could easily chat to.

“It didn’t make sense. I have a lot of old relatives that have died and you can kind of rationalise it, like that was their time.

“There are so many unanswered questions as to why he has died.”

Mr Mitchinson and his wife Alexia, 35, had met Simon and his family just a few months before his death when they visited Hull, where Simon’s wife is originally from.

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The father-of-one will be joined by two friends on his journey.

He later found out that Simon, who took his life the day before his 35th birthday, had been suffering from depression for many years but had not confided in anyone.

Mr Mitchinson said if he could turn back the clock he would encourage his friend to be open about his problems and reassure him help is available.

“I think he felt that it was his only way out,” he said.

“We shouldn't feel that we're somehow failing if we ask for help or if we're struggling.

“We've got to start treating our mental health as importantly as our physical health.”

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Although Mr Mitchinson was unable to make it to Simon’s funeral in Australia, he said lighting a candle outside the north London flat his friend used to live in gave him “some closure”.

Simon’s wife Helen said: "Simon really did think his illness was obvious to everyone around him, but it wasn't.

“He was amazing at hiding it, without him even realising he was doing so.

“Men don't tend to talk about their feelings – and that's something that, as the mother of two young boys, I'm desperate to change.

“Raising awareness of male suicide in this way is amazing and vital, and the boys and I are so grateful for, and amazed by, what Adam's doing."

Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK.

To donate to Mr Mitchinson’s fundraising appeal click here.