A disabled Army veteran is calling for more memorial benches in Farnham parks to raise awareness of suicide prevention and support the military community.

Mike Clarke, a former soldier who served nearly 25 years, is leading the campaign after a career marked by serious injury and long-term physical and psychological trauma.

Mr Clarke, who joined the British Army in 1979, was injured during service in Bosnia in 1994 and a training exercise in Germany in 1998. He now uses a wheelchair and manages chronic pain with daily morphine, though he can walk only a few metres with elbow crutches.

After leaving the Army, he worked at Headley Court rehabilitation centre for four years before his health deteriorated further. He also lives with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and later received treatment through veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress in Surrey.

During treatment, he was introduced to aromatherapy, which he said helped many veterans. He later studied the discipline before founding Veterans In Need, a resource website supporting former service personnel and their families.

Mr Clarke said the closure of Veterans Gateway in 2024 left a gap in support services, with his platform now widely used across the military community. He also runs Warm Remedy, a business that raises funds for Combat Stress and the Legend On The Bench charity.

He has completed several 10km wheelchair treks to raise money and helped unveil more than 100 commemorative benches across the UK and Ireland. His latest project is to install benches across Waverley, including Farnham, after hearing of a local suicide last year.

He said: “I became involved with Legend On The Bench Charity from the very start, and I am really proud to be a part of the charity team.”

The benches act as a place for reflection and conversation, helping to break the stigma around mental health and encourage people to seek help before reaching crisis point.

Mr Clarke, who lives in Godalming with his wife, continues to campaign for greater awareness and support for veterans and those affected by mental health issues.