# 22 Push up Challenge reaches £300,000 for Combat Stress

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/01/12/22-push-challenge-reaches-300000-combat-stress/
- Published: 2017-01-12T08:38:08+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**[Combat Stress](http://www.combatstress.org.uk/)’s 22 Push up Challenge has raised
over £300,000 so far in donations: the largest amount the charity has ever raised
through a social media campaign.**

The money raised (which includes Gift Aid) will go towards providing free specialist
clinical treatment and support to ex-servicemen and women with mental health conditions.
In the last five years Combat Stress has received almost 10,000 referrals, a 71%
increase.

The #22PushupChallenge originated in the United States last year to raise awareness
of veterans’ mental health. The challenge has been seen more than 19,000 individuals
making donations to Combat Stress since the charity started to support the campaign
in July.

## Advertisement

The challenge asks people to do 22 push ups, post a video or photo of themselves
to social media using the hashtag #22PushupChallenge, and donate £5 to Combat Stress
by texting PTSD22 to 70004. Donations can also be made online.

> In 2016 I took part in [#22PushupChallenge](https://x.com/hashtag/22PushupChallenge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> to raise awareness of [@CombatStress](https://x.com/CombatStress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)…
> [#ptsd](https://x.com/hashtag/ptsd?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#wellbeing](https://x.com/hashtag/wellbeing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [#fitness](https://x.com/hashtag/fitness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw). [pic.twitter.com/MfzXWPDrPw](https://t.co/MfzXWPDrPw)
> — Mark Bullock he/him 💙 (@mark___bullock) [December 29, 2016](https://x.com/mark___bullock/status/814523530226368517?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Sue Freeth, chief executive of Combat Stress said;

> “The public’s support for the #22PushupChallenge has been fantastic and we are
> so grateful to everyone who has taken part and contributed to the £300,000 the
> challenge has raised. This is an incredible amount and will help ensure we can
> continue to meet the increasing demand for our services.”

 * **[8 corporate fundraising partnerships for January 2017](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/01/16/8-corporate-fundraising-partnerships-january-2017/)**(
   16 January 2017)
 * **[8 corporate fundraising partnerships for February 2017](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/02/06/8-corporate-fundraising-partnerships-february-2017/)**(
   6 February 2017)
 * **[Monarch Foundation raised over £460,000 for charity partners in 2016](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/02/15/monarch-foundation-raised-460000-charity-partners-2016/)**(
   15 February 2017)