Two friends have broken the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous hug, raising over £7,000 for leading mental health charity Mind

Joe Snape and Will Jarvis broke the record for the longest recorded hug, standing at 36 hours, 36 minutes, and 36 seconds between Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 2018. Taking place in a busy spot along London South Bank, hundreds of tourists and locals cheered them on and offered moral support during the epic hug-a-thon, with many stopping to give them an extra squeeze for good luck.

Joe reported the early hours of Sunday morning were the most challenging for the pair. “To be honest, there were some real low points. We were on the South Bank, and it turns out there really aren't very many people around between 3am and 7am.”

Official rules meant the cuddle marathon had to have at least two witnesses present at all times, as well as for the entire event to be caught on camera. The pair were permitted a five-minute break each hour.

Will and Jo have raised just over £5,000 so far using Just Giving. You can still support their goal to raise over £7,000 for Mind. When asked about what inspired them, Joe and Will wrote:

“Mental health problems have been for far too long not given the proper spotlight they deserve. We hope that by holding each other for over 34 HOURS, we will be showing the importance of simply showing a friend that you are there for them and, again, helping MIND continue their fantastic work.

“The hug is not an attempt to trivialise mental health by suggesting that a hug is all people need to combat mental health. We are just trying to emphasise the importance of support, friendship and kindness – in a world where sometimes the significance of these things are overlooked.”

The pair first came up with the idea three years ago. Upon seeing the previous record had been broken, they decided to make their own attempt in 2018. Their shared passion for mental health, through personal experiences and those of loved ones, led them to raise money and awareness for Mind with the hope that their attempt would help demonstrate the importance that simply showing a friend that you are there for them with a simple hug can have.

Discover more about the power of talking, how you can support a friend who is experiencing mental ill health, and what to do if you are worried about someone else by visiting Counselling Directory or using the search bar below to find a counsellor near you.