Owner of Okehampton’s London Inn Simon Chudley has announced that he will be going teetotal this June to raise money to help St James Primary School fund playground equipment.

Mr Chudley has decided to undertake the challenge to give St James Primary School extra funds to cover the costs of the materials needed to build the play equipment which have risen steeply in price since the cost of living crisis began.

He said: ‘I thought “how can how can we help do something?” I was trying to think of something that didn’t involve any exercise, because I’m not an exercise person, and so I thought “what if I went dry for a month,?” which would definitely impress everyone that I know. I’ve been in and around pubs every day since I was 18 and it’s so easy just to grab a draw.

‘When people do dry January, they just stay home and avoid the pub. I can’t avoid the pub, I’m still going to be in the pub. I’m still going to be around people, I’m still going to be out on Friday nights and Saturday nights or Sunday day lunchtimes and it’s my birthday in June.’

He hopes that patrons will visit the pub on his birthday and donate the money they would otherwise have spent buying him a birthday drink into the donation bucket.

Well-known for supporting many local community initiatives, Mr Chudley said that he particularly wanted to help St James school fund the play equipment to do something nice for the school’s children.

Builders initially quoted £20,000 for the installation of the play equipment, but since the school and parents started fundraising, the overall cost has risen to around £27,000. So far, the Friends of St James (FOSJ), the group of parents and teachers that support the school, has raised over £15,000.

Clare Mortimer, a parent and member of FOSJ, who has played a vital role in the fundraising for the project, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of outside play and is where this project originated. Our aim and our purpose is to enhance the facilities and experiences at St James Primary School, for children of today and of the future.

‘Outdoor play is beyond just the physical activity it provides. It helps children socialise, engage in imaginative play, understand their bodies as well as enjoy the freedom and fresh air away from the classroom.’

In February of this year, the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, announced that the school council, made up of student representatives from each class, had chosen the final design for the play area.

It is hoped that the play equipment will be installed in the playground this summer.

St James Primary School first opened in 2018 and is the second primary school in the town.

To donate directly to the school’s project visit the JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/campaign/stjamesplay.