Leeds United fan's lockdown keepy ups challenge fails are a winner for charity

Primary school teacher Odin Mentlak records video clips of his daily results and posts them on a WhatsApp group to entertain his friends.

New dad Odin, 37, who was brought up in Hyde Park and Burley, Leeds, recorded six keepy ups on the first day and 12 on the second.

He has now recorded 34 daily videos with a best total of 54 and a low of just two.

After 25 days he averaged 16 keepy ups per session,

His friends decided to create a JustGiving page featuring the video clips to cheer people up and raise cash for Place2Be, a charity which delivers mental health services to children in UK schools.

They set a £1,000 fundraising target, which has been smashed with more than £1,700 raised so far.

Odin, who has a ten-week-old baby daughter Ella with his partner Alice, works as a primary school teacher in Greenwich, London.

Odin, who wears Leeds United shirts for his daily challenge, said he is happy to be raising money for a good cause.

He said: "I felty stitched-up at first but I'm really pleased that what is a silly little challenge has made some money for a tremendous cause.

"That fact that something really good has come out of it is wonderful."

Odin's Just GivingPage can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/keepitup100The blurb on the JustGiving page reads: "You're locked down, I'm locked down. We're all locked down.

"We're using this period to see how much peer pressure and time it takes to turn a rubbish footballer - but brilliant teacher - into a keepy ups superstar. Spoiler alert - we're in it for the long haul."

It adds: "Looking after our mental health at home is not easy. The same isolation challenges affecting adults are even more traumatic for children, especially those living in challenging circumstances. Place2Be is a children's mental health charity which works in schools throughout the UK.

"With school closures and lots of uncertainty, they are working hard to ensure they can support as many children, young people and families as possible during this unsettling time.

"Place2Be have a range of wellbeing tips, advice and activities for young people, parents and teachers, with lots of digital support tools for children."