Annual Olympics-style event will be held from next year to raise money to tackle trauma faced at work

Thousands of emergency services workers will take part in a new Olympics-style multi-sport annual event to raise money to tackle the stress and trauma they experience in their jobs.

The inaugural Gratitude Games will be held next year and personnel from the NHS, police, fire service and other emergency services such as the RNLI will be taking part. The event will be open to emergency personnel from the four home nations.

Manchester and Salford will host the competition, which was announced on Thursday. Organisers hope the event will raise at least £10m over the next five years to expand the mental healthcare given to frontline staff who develop mental health problems after experiencing injury and death in the course of their jobs, which have been exacerbated by Covid-19.