Last year, more current and former soldiers committed suicide than were killed by enemy action in Afghanistan. That is a tragedy, more so because it's preventable. 

I came through a tour of Afghanistan back in 2010 thankfully unscathed either mentally or physically, but many haven't been so lucky.  

Whether you agree with the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq or not, the men and women of Britain's Armed Forces go without complaint into some of the most testing environments imaginable and conduct themselves with professionalism and dedication. Combat Stress helps those who have been mentally scarred in the service of their country, and any support you can give them would be much appreciated, not just by the individuals themselves, but by their friends and families. 

To raise money for this very deserving cause, I'm taking part in an event called O till O, a 75km race across a series of islands in the Stockholm archipelago in Sweden.

It involves teams of two running c.65km (40 miles) and swimming around 10km (6 miles) in between the islands. The 75km course takes between 9 and 14 hours. CNN called it "One of the toughest endurance races in the world".

I'm competing alongside a former member of my army unit, with whom I served in Afghanistan. We're meeting all the costs involved ourselves, and all your donations will go straight to Combat Stress. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.