Ten young people have undergone their first training session in readiness to compete in a five mile ‘mud run’ at the end of May.

The group – currently not involved in education, employment or training – will participate in ten weekly fitness sessions designed to help them improve both physical and mental health.

The aim is to not only help them successfully compete in the gruelling Really Muddy Weekend in St Davids but ultimately progress into work or training by removing barriers such as anxiety and improving confidence.

The initiative is being run by Pembrokeshire Youth in conjunction with outdoor adventure facilitators Man-Up UK of St Davids.

The first training session involved the group visiting the site of the Really Muddy Weekend at Celtic Camping in Berea where they familiarised themselves with the course and what they are letting themselves in for!

Subsequent sessions over the coming weeks will include training runs on Haverfordwest racecourse and on the athletics track at Sir Thomas Picton School, as well as boot camps on the beach and a trip to Ramsey island for the famous ‘Three Peaks’ event.

In addition to the fitness sessions, they have also been given their own individual training schedules to undertake in their own time.

Tied in to several of the sessions will be a focus on possible future employment opportunities including linking in with Pembrokeshire Leisure to look at apprenticeship routes and volunteer work with the wardens on Ramsey.

Some of the group signed up for the ‘mud run’ are part of the new European Social Fund-backed Cam Nesa project which helps young people into work. They include Amy Harlow, Robert Christopher and Abi Jones.

Fintan Godkin of Man-Up UK and Chris Iles, a youth worker with Pembrokeshire Youth, are helping supervise the sessions.