Connah’s Quay Nomads raise more than £7,000 for mental health charity Mind

Connah’s Quay Nomads have raised more than £7,000 for the mental health charity Mind via two challenges since last month.

Director of football Jay Catton led the way for the current Cymru Premier League champions with his 200-mile January Challenge, raising a total of £5,592 out of the current overall amount.

The Nomads Academy has just taken off where Jay had finished as they are now taking part in their ‘28 Days – Mile a Day’ challenge during February and have already raised £1,495.

On the amount raised so far, Jay said: “It is incredible and very humbling in what we have achieved to date. The original target set was £250 but it continued to grow and in doing so the bar had to keep getting lifted due to so many people’s generous donations.

“Prior to the final run of 200 miles we had raised just under £3000 and after the last day and completing we have made just under £5600.

“An incredible amount of money raised for a charity in Mind that is doing so much for so many during a time when mental health for all of us is being challenged and they are helping so many people and families.”

Jay says it was “one of the hardest physical and mental challenges” of his life, in part due to the fact he has had four knee operations in the past.

With support of the club’s physio Gemma Bamford and doctor Christopher Jordan as well as personal trainer Jack Sullivan of JS-PT and brother Alex Catton however, Jay was able to complete the challenge over the course of the month.

Unfortunately last year during the first lockdown, Jay’s grandad passed away after having lived with Motor Neurone Disease for two decades and is always in Jay’s memory when he runs.

“He was a major part of my life and losing him during COVID like so many who lost loved ones was even more difficult,” said Jay. “He was an inspiring man who lived with MND for two decades but still did everything to keep himself physically and mentally active.

“It was a privilege to complete in memory of him along with a friend who sadly passed away unexpectedly the week prior in Steve Roberts. 

“Steve was one of the kindest lads who you could ever wish to meet. A huge Tottenham and Wales football fan who travelled the globe following both. The addition of 4 miles to make a marathon on the final day was in memory and tribute to him and all his family.”

The Nomads Academy challenge has so far seen 150 players and families take part with the aim of completing one mile a day over February.

The club will be donating £5 towards the end total for every player who completes the challenge.

Jay added: “On top of this, players have been gaining their own sponsorships as well for the cause and together have raised just under £1500!

“The key to all the charity events for Mind that we aim to do over 2021 are that they are a collaborative effort from everyone at the football club and to have raised just over £7000 between our first two events in 2021 is outstanding and hopefully lots more to be raised over coming months and year ahead.”

During the first challenge, Jay completed the 200 miles and finished with a marathon on Saturday linking Nomads, Airbus UK Broughton, Buckley Town and Flint Town United.

The football director recorded a marathon time of 4:00:08 and over the 200 miles he varied in distances from 4 miles to 10 and, apart from the marathon of 26.2 miles, even as far as 13.

To those who have donated and continue to donate, Jay said: “I can’t thank everybody enough. The key on this was the physical and mental challenge of running 200 miles in 30 days but the most important element was always the fundraising and how much on behalf of CQ Nomads FC we could raise.

“For everybody who donated and showed their support for Mind I can not thank you enough and together to have raised just under £5600 to date is remarkable and just the start of our charity work and fundraising for Mind over 2021.”

To donate to Jay’s fundraiser, visit the JustGiving page and for the February fundraiser from the Nomads Academy, visit this JustGiving page to donate now.

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By Jordan Adams