PLAYERS and coaching staff at Dumbarton Academy FP AFC are using their spare time away from football generously, by climbing Ben Lomond twice in one day.

The amateur football club, more commonly referred by locals as “The Accies”, will be climbing the 3,195ft tall mountain in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park to raise money for Men Matter Scotland which helps provide support, services, sessions and help groups aimed at both preventing and responding to mental health crisis and suicide in the local area.

The team have set a target of raising £1,500 before their big day of hillwalking on Saturday, August 22, with the current total standing at more than £750.

Accies manager Michael Dickie told the Reporter: “It was the players that decided we had to do something to fundraise.

“We normally do two big fundraisers a year, but since the normal money that comes in to cover our costs obviously hadn’t due to coronavirus, we thought it would be important to double it up this time - so we paired it with a charity that the boys felt was a really good cause.

“The squad decided that Men Matter was the kind of thing they wanted to raise money for, and in the space of a couple of days they had it all up and running.

“We spoke with Men Matter in Drumchapel and it was really helpful to find out more about it and the things they do and where the money would be going.

“It all came together and worked really well.”

With the original target of raising £1,500 already halfway-smashed, the team can’t wait to pull on their hiking boots.

“We’ve had a pretty good start with the funds coming in and it’s a 50/50 split between the club and charity,” Michael continued.

“One of our players, Kenny, felt that going up Ben Lomond once wouldn’t be much of a challenge so we’ll be doing it twice.”

Men Matters Scotland posted on their Facebook page: “Fantastic and really appreciated, thanks to the guys from Dumbarton Accies.”

Any donations can be made on their Justgiving page at just giving.com/crowdfunding/dumbarton-accies.