Teenage paddler Edd Dobson will be raising money for a brain injured friend when he takes part in the Devizes to Westminster canoe race.

His crew is one of 14 from Devizes Canoe Club to take part in the 125-mile race which sets off from the Wharf on Good Friday.

The four junior crews comprise five new paddlers and three experienced ones.

Newcomers Conor Henley, 15, and Ali Little, 16, and Dan Colby, 15, and James New, 16, all from Devizes, join hardened DW paddlers Edd Dobson, 18, and Mike Rees-Clark, 17, from Hardenhuish School, Chippenham.

Samantha Rees-Clark, 15, is also a newcomer but she will be partnered by Jack Clarke, 18, who did the race with Devizes club last year.

The juniors will be raising money for Jay Ryles-Jenkins, a close friend of Edd Dobson, who suffered brain injuries after a school rugby match in March 2009.

The crews will also be supporting Stepping Stones nursery, Trowbridge, for children with special needs. So far, the group has raised £700, visit www.devizescanoeclub .co.uk to donate.

The club is entering four senior doubles. They are club coaches Kevin Dobson and Paul Papworth-Smith, John Fletcher and Steve Campbell, Ben Carrington and Polly Sinnett-Jones from Erlestoke, father-and-son Mark and Charlie Bouch, first timers John Hogan and Robert McKay and Richard and Jim Hill, and first timer Neil Powell and veteran Peter Walker.

Ian MacQueen and Iain Lawson are entered in the senior category and by Delia Best and Teresa Russ in the Endeavour class.