The world has been propelled into uncertainty over the last 2 years and this has had a hugely negative effect on people's mental health. What I want to do is run the Marathon des Sables whilst wearing Body Armour in 2022 for Support Our Paras to highlight organisations that care for others and to enable people to find help, when they go through adversity. This will be a World Record attempt as no one has completed this race whilst wearing a 10kg weighted vest before.

Marathon Des Sables is the toughest foot race on Earth, it is 250km across the Sahara desert, carrying all your kit and equipment and the only resupply you have is water.

I will be carrying a weighted vest which weighs 10kg. The reason I will be wearing the weighted vest is because it represents Body Armour. When you go to war you wear Body Armour to protect you against bombs and bullets, but nothing PROTECTS YOUR MIND. I want to make a very clear visual statement about soldiers' and veterans' mental health.

I served in The Parachute Regiment, in all 3 Battalions and deployed on multiple tours of Afghanistan. Over those tours, I was involved in incidents that I struggled to process on my return and with the help of Support Our Paras I was able to find therapy and get my life back on track. I want to raise money for the charity so that others may find help and hopefully I can do it with this crazy challenge!

SUPPORT OUR PARAS does what it says on the tin. We support our Paras in The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces through the welfare of veterans, serving soldiers and their families and widows, and through the maintenance of its regimental efficiency, ethos, spirit and heritage.

Thank you and I look forward to you supporting my training, please do get in touch if you wish to collaborate with the endeavour.

Jonny

jwmortimerhendry@gmail.com

07791950153