By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

NORTH Devon CC has already reached its £2,000 fund-raising target for Devon Mind – and there are no plans to stop there!

Tom Popham, the captain of the Instow cricket club, started the Century Challenge in January with the aim of raising £2,000 for the mental health charity.

With pre-season training a non-starter due to Covid-19 restrictions and the latest national lockdown, Popham wanted players to do something physical for get fit and raise money at the same time.

Popham’s idea was for participants to commit to doing a hundred of something active – sit-ups, press-ups, burpees, star-jumps – and invite sponsorship or donations from their friends.

Popham thought it might take until the season started to reach the £2,000 target. It was actually passed last weekend.

“We reached £2,000 in donations on our justgiving site on Sunday, which no one expected to happen so soon,” said Popham.

“It was always our intention to carry on through the summer and nothing has changed just because we have reached our target.

“In my mind I feel we could reach around £5,000 by the end of the season. I am sure more friends of the club and teams who visit us will want to get involved.

“The take up at the club has been really good – as has the support from our friends.

“There have been some sizeable donations, but most of the money coming in has been in smaller sums. It has all been fantastic.”

Kyle Verreynne and Brett Mason, who were North Devon’s overseas players in 2016, both made pledges from their homes in South Africa.

Nick Ansell, a retired major-general and father of North Devon CC chairman Mark Ansell, committed to completing 100 country walks in the area around his home near Bideford.

“He has been getting through them at the rate of two a week,” said son Mark.

Skipper Popham and wife Maz clocked up a runs totalling 100 miles on behalf of the Challenge, crossing the finishing line last weekend.

“We enjoyed doing it so much we are going to carry on,” said Tom.

Jack Popham, the captain’s brother, has signed up for a hundred miles on a rowing machine and team-mate Jack Moore is on the starting line for his own 100-mile marathon.

Devon Mind was selected as a cause to raise money for due to the hidden effects on mental health of the Coronavirus pandemic. Also, cricket has had its share of mental health issues among players and former players for a long time.

Mark Ansell, who has been NDCC chairman since 2012, said he had seen the effects of mental health issues on club players a number of times during his tenure.

Speaking at the launch of the Challenge, Ansell said: “Young men are terrible at talking about their feelings and anything that helps them is a good idea.

“Sometimes just having someone to talk to and an opportunity to gain confidence can be a massive step in the right direction. We have certainly seen that at the club.

“The idea of the Century Challenge is to do 100 of something physical – ideally outdoors – as we all know how physical wellbeing can help mental wellbeing.”