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A new UK sporting event launching next year aims to put the mental health of emergency responders at the centre of public attention.
The Gratitude Games will take place for the first time on 6–14 June 2026 in Manchester and will bring together police, fire, ambulance, prison and NHS personnel to compete across 11 sports, from golf and archery to cycling.
The aim is to raise awareness of the pressures responders carry and fund specialist support services.
UK emergency responders work in some of the most challenging environments imaginable, and the long-term mental health impact is clear. Research from Mind suggests 66% of fire service staff and 70% of police officers have experienced mental health issues. For ambulance staff, the figure rises to 76%.
In the NHS, anxiety, stress, depression and other psychiatric illnesses accounted for 610,500 full time equivalent days lost in March 2025, 27.5% of all sickness absence.
The Gratitude Games officially launched on Wednesday 5 November, one of the busiest dates in the responder calendar, and several former responders have put their support behind it.
Retired West Yorkshire Police officer Ben Pearson, who served 19 years in an operational road traffic unit and was later diagnosed with complex work-related PTSD, depression and anxiety, is an official ambassador. He now speaks publicly about mental health and positive coping strategies.
“As a police officer I saw things that people should never see. Everything got on top of me and I completely lost my identity. I’m proud to support the Gratitude Games because the poor mental health of responders and the lack of support is a serious problem.”
Ben Pearson.
Retired firefighter Ricky Nuttall, who served with London Fire Brigade from 2005 to 2022 and responded to the Grenfell Tower fire, also supports the event.
“Being a firefighter was rewarding in some ways but highly damaging in others. Sometimes I wish I could forget what I’ve seen. Grenfell was the tipping point, but looking back I probably needed help before then. That’s why I’m a staunch supporter of the Gratitude Games. It’s a powerful way to help people understand what responders carry every single shift.”
Ricky Nuttall.
More than 7,000 people are expected to take part across the 11 sports. Participants will form regional teams, with the overall winners receiving a prize designed and made in Manchester.
Founder Mike Downard, a Buckinghamshire firefighter, said specialist support is urgently needed. He said: “I’ve lost friends and colleagues to suicide because they couldn’t cope with the emotional toll. Anyone in the emergency services or NHS is one incident away from crisis. We need proper access to specialist support at every level. The Gratitude Games is about raising money for six charities who provide that support.”
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