More than 1000 Tauranga pupils will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the world's longest Chinese Whispers next month.

In conjunction with Hearing Support Bay of Plenty, pupils from Tauranga Intermediate School and six other local primary schools will attempt to break the record as part of New Zealand Hearing Week, which runs from February 26-March 4.

'Attempting to break a world record is really cool. We'll be helping out Hearing Support BOP to highlight Hearing Week and people who struggle with hearing problems,” says Tauranga Intermediate head boy Taine Larsen.

While Tauranga Intermediate head girl Tiarna Allen says it's so important to have good hearing, because without it, communicating and interacting with the world around you can be hugely difficult. 'Everyone at the school is excited about making history.”

Hearing Support BOP manager Jo Sykes says the world record attempt will take place on Tauranga Intermediate's school field on March 1 and involve special guests Tauranga MP Simon Bridges and members of the BOP Steamers.

And in accordance with the Guinness World Record rules and conditions, the event will be carefully scrutinised and recorded by staff from Holland Beckett Lawyers, who're donating their time and effort to the cause.

Jo says she's already got the sentence sorted and it's being kept secret in a sealed envelope until the world record breaking attempt.

'The current Guinness World Record stands at 1300 people and we've got the numbers to blow that record right out of the water.

'And while the record isn't about what's being said, I really can't wait to hear what the sentence will end up being.”

So why Chinese Whispers? Because it's a great example of what having a hearing impairment is like, says Jo.

'A lot of things said to a person with an impairment can get lost in translation, so to speak. Often they'll hear part of a conversation or sentence and piece it together, but sometimes they come up with something that's not quite right.

'That's very similar to Chinese Whispers.”

Hearing Support BOP is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with hearing loss and providing education to younger people about the importance of protecting their hearing. For more information, visit: www.hearing.org.nz/branches/bayofplenty/