PHYSICAL trainers and fitness businesses are uniting to attempt a world record and raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder among military veterans.

North Yorkshire residents are being urged to meet at Thirsk School and Sixth Form College from 11am tomorrow in a bid to better the record set by 1,286 people in Oregon, in the US, last November for the most people performing press-ups simultaneously.

Record attempt organiser Nicky Jenkins said the event, which will see those participating attempt to do 22 press-ups, on their knees or military-style, had been organised to highlight the number of former service personnel who suffer from mental health issues.

She said leading figures in the North Yorkshire fitness industry, including Gemma Magnusson, who has been Britain’s Strongest Woman four times and a runner-up in the World’s Strongest Woman, were supporting the attempt.

Ms Jenkins said: “It would be fantastic for the local community if we can get some serious numbers turning up. Thirsk has been on the map for so many nice things of late and it would be really great if we could add to that list.

“From the response we have been having I think quite a few people will turn up, but I’m not sure we will manage to break the world record, but it doesn’t matter as it is a good way to raise awareness, and that’s really the point, even if we just get 100 people in a field.”

Organisers of the event said stigma continued to surround mental health issues and that they had been staggered to learn an average of 22 US military veterans are commit suicide every day.

Campaigners say one of the biggest challenges veterans face is finding a sense of purpose after service and suicide prevention is made more difficult when the public is unaware of the issue.

Ms Jenkins said: “ Although the Ministry of Defence say they are doing more, I think the evidence suggests that there are still people slipping through the system.

“There are still stories from former soldiers whose treatment for PTSD has fallen short of where it should be. It’s very sad to hear of people taking their own lives in any respect, but the figures for 22 per day in the US is absolutely shocking.”

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