Veterans Mental Health Support UK | Leeds Founder’s 12 Hour World Record Row
Leeds Founder Takes on Guinness World Record to Support British Armed Forces Mental Health
On 3 October 2026, VÕS HELP founder and SAS: Who Dares Wins winner James Priestley will attempt to row more than 153,000 metres in just 12 hours.
But this is not simply an attempt to break a Guinness World Record.
The challenge has one purpose: to raise enough money to provide 1,000 free mental health support calls for members of the British Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, veterans and their families.
For VÕS HELP, a mental wellbeing service founded in Leeds, the challenge represents something much bigger than sport. It is about making sure that when someone decides they need to talk, a real person is there.
Supporting British Armed Forces Mental Health
Mental health within the Armed Forces community remains an important issue across the UK.
According to the Ministry of Defence's latest annual statistics, 17,826 UK Armed Forces personnel were seen by military healthcare services for a mental health related reason during 2025/26.
Behind every statistic is a person.
Someone serving away from their family.
Someone transitioning from military service into civilian life.
A veteran struggling years after leaving the Forces.
A husband, wife or partner trying to support someone they love.
VÕS HELP believes access to mental health support should be simple.
No complicated journey.
No fear of judgement.
No need to explain why you want to speak to somebody.
Just access to a real person when you need one.
From Leeds to Supporting the Armed Forces Community Across Britain
VÕS HELP was founded in Leeds with a simple idea: if somebody wants to speak to a trained professional, technology should make that connection easier, not harder.
Through the VÕS HELP app, users can access real counsellors and therapists through audio calls or messaging, with the option to remain anonymous.
There are no AI therapists or automated conversations pretending to be human support.
The person on the other side is a real person.
That principle is particularly important when considering military mental health.
For some serving personnel and veterans, asking for help can be one of the hardest steps to take. Making that first conversation easier could therefore make a meaningful difference.
Why James Priestley Is Rowing for 12 Hours
The Armed Forces campaign is personal for VÕS HELP founder James Priestley.
James won Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2020 and later created VÕS HELP after seeing people close to him struggle with their mental health.
On 3 October, he will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest distance rowed on a Concept2 indoor rowing machine in 12 hours.
The target is more than 153 kilometres.
That means rowing almost continuously for half a day while attempting to maintain a pace that would be difficult for most people to sustain for even a fraction of that time.
The reason for doing it is simple.
Every donation can help fund access to mental health support for the military community.
Forces News recently featured James, VÕS HELP and the story behind the challenge, describing how the record attempt aims to help veterans find support before reaching crisis point.
Read the full Forces News feature here:
1,000 Free Mental Health Calls for the Military Community
The target behind the challenge is to fund 1,000 free calls through VÕS HELP.
That support is intended for the wider Armed Forces community, because military life does not affect only the person wearing the uniform.
Veterans, serving personnel and military families can all experience pressures that are difficult to explain to somebody outside that environment.
VÕS HELP wants to remove as many barriers as possible between somebody deciding they want to talk and actually speaking to someone.
A person should not have to wait until they reach breaking point before asking for support.
Veterans Mental Health Support in Leeds
Leeds has an important connection with the Armed Forces community and veterans mental health services.
The NHS Op COURAGE Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service has a presence in Leeds and provides specialist support for veterans, reservists and people preparing to leave the Armed Forces.
VÕS HELP is not intended to replace specialist NHS services, emergency services or established military charities.
Instead, our ambition is to help create another accessible route to conversation and early support.
Sometimes somebody does not want to begin by saying, "I have a mental health problem."
Sometimes they simply want to say:
"I need to talk."
That conversation matters.
Mental Health Support Should Not Begin at Crisis Point
One of the biggest ideas behind VÕS HELP is early intervention.
Mental wellbeing is not limited to diagnosed mental health conditions.
People can need support because of stress, relationships, work, financial pressure, loneliness, bereavement, family problems, transitioning into civilian life or simply because life has become overwhelming.
Speaking to somebody earlier can be easier than waiting until those pressures become unmanageable.
That is why VÕS HELP was designed around immediate human connection.
Open the app.
Choose whether you want to call or message.
Choose a professional.
Start talking.
Leeds Supporting Britain's Military Community
VÕS HELP may have started in Leeds, but our ambition extends far beyond the city.
We want businesses, charities, sports clubs, universities, healthcare organisations and communities across Britain to help us make professional mental wellbeing support easier to access.
The Guinness World Record attempt on 3 October is one part of that mission.
153,000 metres.
12 hours.
1,000 free calls.
One objective: making sure more members of the Armed Forces community know that when they need to talk, somebody is ready to listen.
Support the VÕS HELP Armed Forces Campaign
Individuals and organisations can support the campaign by donating, sharing the challenge or simply sending the story to somebody who may need to know that support exists.
Businesses in Leeds and across the UK can also contact VÕS HELP about supporting free mental health calls for serving personnel, veterans and military families.
Every funded conversation creates another opportunity for somebody to reach out.
And sometimes one conversation is where everything starts.
VÕS HELP
Real people. Real conversations. Support when you need it.
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