THE family of a man, who committed suicide after decades of suffering from bipolar disorder, are hoping to raise an incredible £150,000 for charity in his memory.

Duncan Toft, of The Mews, Bramley, worked for the Bridge Centre, in New Road, Basingstoke, as a mental health social worker but sadly passed away in August 2009 at the age of 41, less than a year after marrying his wife Anna.

He took his own life just weeks after being discharged from hospital, and now a team of his nearest and dearest are raising money to try to improve the support that individuals with the disorder receive after being discharged.

Duncan’s brother Ashley Toft, 47, who runs adventure holidays company Explore!, is leading a team of fundraisers who are currently in the throes of an epic 19-day bike ride.

A team of eight core cyclists, who are being joined by around 20 others throughout the journey, began the mostly off-road 1,060 mile bike ride on May 31 at Land’s End. They will complete the challenge by reaching John O’Groats on Monday, June 18.

Ashley, of Bentley, Hampshire, said he is thrilled to have raised a total of £67,000 to date.

He added: “We have been training hard but none of us really knew what to expect with this challenge. We’ve been trying to really think big, and it seems to have caught people’s imaginations.

“I have been amazed, when speaking to people, how many of them know someone affected with a mental health problem.

“We’ve set ourselves a target of £150,000 by the end of the year, and I think we stand a good chance of reaching it.”

The money will go to charity BipolarUK to support Project Link, which mentors and gives support to the most vulnerable sufferers, aiming to reduce the suicide rates by being there when they are most needed.

Duncan’s widow Anna said: “This is a really brilliant cause. Sufferers are at their most vulnerable from suicide attempts when they are just released from hospital.”

To support the team’s efforts, visit duncantoft. co.uk.