A GROUP of people is determined to change attitudes and encourage honest and open discussion of young suicide and so prevent it.

PAPYRUS is a charity founded in 2001 by parents with a son or daughter who had taken their own life. It is unique in being the only charity in the UK dedicated to the prevention of young people's suicide.

It is a charity that has become a major part of the lives of Stephanie and Lincoln Lyth-Lawley, whose younger son, Joe, killed himself in October, 2000.

Although the couple, who live in Glewstone, near Ross-on-Wye, are now both involved in PAPYRUS - Lincoln as a trustee and Stephanie with fund-raising - they initially wanted nothing to do with it.

The report of Joe's inquest went on to feature in the Daily Telegraph to highlight the issue of suicide among young men and prompted Anne Parry, chair of PAPYRUS, to approach Lincoln.

"At the time I thought I couldn't be doing this, and didn't want to know," says Lincoln.

But when Stephanie stepped down as chairman of her local NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) group, for which she had organised two big fund-raisers, she decided that she really wanted to run another for a mental health charity in Joe's memory.

"I had looked at lots of websites when Lincoln said What about PAPYRUS?' and he was right. It was exactly what I was looking for," says Stephanie.

With that, Papyrus-in-the-Marches was born and over the past five years has consistently raised substantial sums for the charity.

Finding the idea of weeping women' total anathema, Stephanie's guiding principle is to put the fun' into fund-raising and the events she organises have fulfilled that aim. Since the first, a year after Joe died, they have raised more than £20,000.

Jemima Philips, official harpist to the Prince of Wales, is among those who have offered support to Papyrus-in-the-Marches.

"I had already booked Jemima when the Royal appointment was announced," says Stephanie. "So her recital for us was her first performance as the Royal harpist."

Others who have turned out to provide fun-filled entertainment are Susan Flannery and Michael Lunts, who have performed their "intimate revues", Pass the Port and More Tea Vicar, to appreciative audiences, as has Perrier-nominated comic Tim FitzHigham.

The money raised has gone towards the charity's core funding, used to produce educational material, including publications designed for use in schools, in young offenders' insitutions and for parents, teachers and carers of young people. A video and accompanying publication, Don't Die of Embarassment, is currently being sent to every school in the Marches The money raised by Papyrus-in-the- Marches (PiMs) also contributes to the running costs of HOPEline, a telephone service providing support to anyone concerned that a young person they know may be at risk of suicide.

"If you know someone who is suicidal, it is hard to get help," says Lincoln. "HOPEline is staffed by professionals and is available on weekday evenings and during weekends."

Calls to the HOPEline from people anxious about someone they know have doubled over recent months, indicating more people are seeking help in dealing with suicidal people.

"Anyone concerned about someone should not hesitate to call," says Anne Parry.

"It's sad when it's youngsters who don't give life a chance, who could have turned the corner," says Lincoln, eloquently encapsulating the reason PAPYRUS exists.