Friends put their minds to training for charity run
A group of friends are preparing to take on a 10km run to raise money for a mental health charity.
The seven men, who all grew up in Newark, will be running in the Asda Foundation Sheffield 10k on September 23.
Liam Curry, 28, of Nottingham; Tom Cobb, 28, of Newark; Jake Harling, 26, of Witham St Hughes; Stuart Pollard, 27, of Nottingham; Steven Button, 27, of Newark; Kez Richardson, 28, of Sheffield; and Lewis Richardson, 26, of Newark, became friends through school and cricket clubs.
They remain in touch, particularly through their love of Nottingham Forest FC, with four of them being season ticket holders.
Liam said: "The idea came from Kez and Jake, because they had signed up with the thought of training to lose weight, and to keep some activity going outside of the cricket season.
"To spur them on further in training, they decided to raise money for Mind, a mental health charity.
"Mental health problems affect so many people.
"Members of the group running have suffered from, and still do, a variety of issues, and there is still a great taboo around discussing, being open and seeking help for them. It should not be like that."
Liam said all of the group agreed to step up and take on the challenge when the idea of raising money for Mind was put forward.
"It is charities like Mind that aim to break that stigma and lend help and support to those in need," said Liam.
"Mental health charities do not receive the funding they need, so it just seemed to make sense."
The group has varying degrees of training and experience, with some have completed similar runs before.
For others it will be their first competitive run.
The fundraisers have set a target of £1,000, with all proceeds going to Mind.
"We are planning on running as a team until one of us decides to show up the rest and sprint off," said Liam.
Mind provides advice and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. It campaigns to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding.
A JustGiving page has been set up at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/newarkforestboys4mind