Lincolnshire Cricket is set to deliver free Mental Health First Aid training to each of its 75 affiliated clubs after a group of former players completed a series of ultra-marathons to raise fuds for the project.
Lincolnshire chief executive officer, and former player, Martyn Dobson was amongst a group that ran from the county’s most northerly cricket club (Barton on Humber CC) to the most southerly club (Stamford Town CC), covering 100 miles in 30 hours in 2020.
Dobson was joined by former Lincolnshire captain Paul Cook in 2020 – before repeating the run last summer along with local ultra marathon runner Nick Lister and another former player Alex Willerton.
The fundraising proved so successful that similar journeys from north to south in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire were competed to help raise more than £16,000.
With further donations through Chance To Shine, the Samaritans and directly to local clubs, Lincolnshire Cricket was able to delivered the first of the free training sessions this month.
The project was born from tragic circumstances when three senior playing members at the same Lincolnshire club were lost to suicide during an 18-month period.
Dobson said Lincolnshire Cricket had been determined to support the club and help to identify ways to increase awareness and support for mental awareness.
The Lincolnshire Cricket CEO led from the front, putting his running shoes on and raising the money needed, and said: “Raising the awareness of mental health and providing free training to our network of volunteers is key to tackling an issue that can have a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities.
“If, as a result of this initiative, one person is able to reach out and access the help and support that can ultimately save a life then all those miles and pain will have been worthwhile.
“We are truly grateful to everyone who made a donation and we are proud to be supporting our countywide network of clubs around this subject.”