Gyms throughout the UK are being encouraged to sign up for Gym for Heroes, the nationwide endurance challenge to raise funds for Help for Heroes, the charity set up to support wounded servicemen and women.

Gym for Heroes is an endurance challenge which can take place in any gym or military facility and allows participants to sign up individually or in groups of three or four and complete either three or twelve hours of sponsored physical activity using up to three different pieces of cardio-vascular equipment or a swimming pool.

New for 2011 is Junior Gym for Heroes, encouraging school children of all ages to take up the gym challenge and do their bit to raise funds and awareness for Help for Heroes.

The charity aims to get 1,000 operators signed up to the challenge, which will take place in fitness centres across the country from the 9th to the 22nd July 2011 and has this year joined forces with the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) to help ensure it gains the full support of both the general public and gyms.

David Stalker, Executive Director, FIA said: ‘We are delighted to be supporting the campaign. An endurance challenge is a perfect way to support our heroes by reminding us of the physical upheaval they endure whilst at the same time, helping to boost our fitness levels.

“We expect to see a real surge of people taking part in the challenge during July. It’s the ultimate motivation to be active”.

Last year’s event was a massive success, attracting 1000 participants and raising £100k in support of Help for Heroes.

From the pensioner who lost a family member in active combat, to soldiers on the front line in Afghanistan, participants stepped up to the plate for our wounded servicemen and women.

If you own or manage a UK gym facility and would like to sign up for the event you can do so at Gym for Heroes