A Manchester City football coach is to tackle two epic charity challenges in a matter of months as part of the club's drive to help youngsters with mental health issues.
Jamie Carr, 30, who coaches the under-14s at the Blues' Academy, will this weekend begin the Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 155-mile ultra-marathon through the Sahara desert.
Then, later this year, he will row 2,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean in just a seven-metre rowing boat. "That's the one that blows everyone's minds," he said. "More people have been to space than rowed an ocean solo." Jamie is believed to be the first person to ever do both challenges in the same year.
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He says he was inspired after seeing footage of both of them on TV. "I saw the races years ago and was mesmerised by them straight away to be honest and I was like 'I'm doing that" he said. "I remember seeing the Marathon des Sables on a Discovery channel documentary with James Cracknell doing it.
"And I saw four women crossing the Pacific Ocean in a rowing boat a few years later. I just wanted to do them at some stage. When lockdown came I thought there was no greater opportunity for me to combine both these challenges into one year and raise a load of money for charity. "
His bid, which he has dubbed the 'nothing ventured' campaign and he has spent 14 months training for, is raising cash for two charities close to his heart - including a City programme aimed at helping Manc kids with mental health issues.
Before joining City four years ago, Jamie who was born and bred in Dublin but now lives in Didsbury, had a stint coaching in India which he says sparked his passion to work with youngsters. And in his current role, he says he has seen firsthand the impact lockdown has had on the mental welfare of young people, in particular young footballers.
"Football is such a tough industry to be in as it gets professional very quickly, you're expected to perform week-in, week-out, I find it difficult to comprehend how difficult it must be for a young player balancing all these things whilst all their growth is going on. At City we do provide good support, but that's not the case across Manchester and that's where this programme comes in."
City Thrive, run by the club's charity City in the Community, is delivered in partnership with the NHS and includes specific mental health-themed football sessions delivered from youth clubs across Manchester.
There are also specially adapted football sessions with one-to-one mentoring and group workshops, to try and improve mental wellbeing for people in Manchester, aged up to 25.
"We've all been through Covid, but I've had an inside look at what it's been like as a teenager as we've been in constant communication with our players.
"And it has affected people in so many different ways. So many people are really, really struggling and need help. And this programme is there now to provide coping strategies, awareness, and understanding of what you might feel and it's just so important for the young people of Manchester."
He has been using the heat chamber in the first team building at City's training ground as part of his preparation and says he has huge support from all parts of the club. "I know some of the academy players who are with the first team now have spoken to me about it and seem impressed," he said.
"Everyone at the club, and in particular City in the Community, has been super, super supportive and I honestly wouldn't be here without them."
The other half of the money raised by Jamie will go to Daisy's Lodge, a therapeutic centre in County Down in Northern Ireland for children with cancer. They are currently fundraising to build a new facility in Mayo in the Republic.
He says he has also had words of encouragement and support from a 15-year-old boy who is having treatment for a third bout of cancer. "It's made me feel the importance of what I'm doing and words from him are going to keep me going when the going gets tough" he said.
His challenge will begin in earnest on Sunday and a venom pump in case of a snake bite is among the kit he had to pack before his departure. "Now I have everything ready to go I am a little bit more nervous, but I don't think it will fully kick in when I'm on that start line in the Sahara and I have all that distance ahead of me to cover."
For more information or to donate to Jamie's campaign click here.
