Sibling's plea to flood family home with cards ahead of Reece Begg's 30th birthday

Reece Begg, 28, was found hanged in an alleyway behind his Threlfall Road home on July 4 2019, with his organ donor card nearby.

After years of battling depression, he penned a heartfelt letter to his loved ones explaining his struggles, and apologising to them for his actions.

Mr Begg also advised others suffering from depression "not to be like him", and to reach out for help.

Ahead of Reece's 30th birthday on February 23, his older brother Daniel, 35, put out a plea on social media to "get as many cards as humanly possible" sent to his mum Lynn and dad Allan's house.

"We were thinking of things to do for my mum and dad to celebrate Reece's 30th birthday, and this is just something a bit different," Daniel said.

"I think they would love it. I want to get as many sent as possible, enough to really annoy my dad.

"But I think it would be comforting to them."

Daniel's son Jordan, nine, recently decided to raise money for Blackpool mental health service Counselling in the Community, in tribute to his uncle Reece.

Counselling in the Community is fully reliant on donations, and is in the process of setting up a second hub in South Shore to keep up with the increasing demand for mental health services in Blackpool.

The determined youngster aimed to run 30 miles over 10 days for the service, a mile to commemorate each year before Reece's 30th birthday.

Jordan took up running with his dad during the first Covid lockdown last year, and completed his first 10k before Christmas.

He raised £2,845 for Counselling in the Community (CCIC) and even received a shout-out for his efforts from one of his favourite footballers, Liverpool FC's James Milner.

"We're really proud of how much money Jordan has raised for Counselling in the Community," Daniel continued.

"I've been to [his] place (Stuart Hutton-Brown. manager of CCIC) and I met some of the other counsellors.

"They've been really supportive of us and I think others should support them as well."

After Reece died, his family bravely decided to share his letter publicly in the hope his final words could save others' lives.

An excerpt of the letter read: "If you've got good people in your life that put up with your s*** and accept you as you are keep them close.

"Treat them better than they deserve as they probably do just that for you. Make sure the good people around you know you love them, open up to each other and share like I never could and if you need help get it!

"Unfortunately the way I am I never see anything through and mental health checks was one of those things. It was stupid of me I know and I wish I did go through with it, maybe I'd be alive and happy now if I did but I'm cr*p.

"Don't be like me, don't bury your head, lie about how you feel and put your loved ones through what I am doing to mine. I know it's rich me saying that, but don't be like me, I won't let anyone in, there's so many things I haven't told anyone and it's just not healthy."

If you would like to send Reece a birthday card, you can post one to:

50 Threlfall Road

Blackpool

Lancashire

FY1 6NN

The Samaritans mental health charity helpline can be called 24 hours a day on 116 123.