CLACTON Town Hall was lit up as part of a national initiative supporting armed forces veterans.

Help for Heroes’ Stigma Clock was projected on to the Tendring Council building to show the community’s support for the charity’s Cut the Clock campaign.

Cut the Clock is highlighting just how long veterans wait to access mental health support with former Armed Forces personnel taking, on average, four years to seek help.

Results of a survey commissioned by Help for Heroes recently revealed veterans are delaying asking for help with their mental health, including post-traumatic stress, in part due to believing civilian services will not understand or support them and a fear of being treated differently by friends and family.

Cut the Clock is Help for Heroes’ way of raising awareness of the range of support on offer, and encouraging people not to wait so long.

A bucket collection was also held last night in aid of Help for Heroes, and the Stigma Clock was projected onto the Town Hall into the evening.

Help for Heroes and Tendring Council thanked Jamesons Accountants for its support of the event, as well as Motion Mapping UK for its assistance with the illumination.

Chris Amos, the council’s armed forces champion, said: “I was proud at how many came along to this event, and I hope that many more passers-by took away from the event a positive message as they saw the Stigma Clock projected on to the town hall.

“The council is signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant and is a bronze member of the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme, demonstrating our support for the welfare of former and serving military personnel, including helping them to access the support they need.

“We hope to help raise awareness of the support that it is out there for them.”

Help end mental health stigma at CutTheClock.com.