Interview: Wolves captain Danny Batth sets new goals in charity venture - VIDEO

Nothing wrong with that. But Danny Batth is a bit different to most footballers, writes Tim Spiers.

As soon as last season finished he jetted off to India for a fact-finding mission as he put the final touches to his new charity – Foundation DB – which launched earlier this week.

Batth, the Wolves captain who has been with the club since he was 10 years old, will now devote a large proportion of his spare time to helping three carefully-chosen charities.

It's a huge undertaking – but one he feels is his duty to do.

"I think my inspiration for doing it is because I feel so lucky and privileged to be in the position I'm in," Batth told the Express & Star.

"I want other people to have opportunities and the chance at achieving their goals and their dreams, which is what the foundation is all about - helping people help themselves

"It won't be a handout. We'll support the charities and they'll do the majority of the work but we'll make sure day-to-day we're on the phone and making sure the money goes to where it makes the biggest impact."

This isn't a simple fundraising campaign. Batth wants to make a tangible difference to the lives of young and homeless people both here and in India.

YMCA Open Door helps get people off the streets of Wolverhampton, Football for Peace uses sport to help those in deprived communities and Yuwa combats forced child marriage in India by providing football and education provision for young girls.

These are the three charities that Foundation DB will help.

"They've all touched me in different ways," Batth said. "Homelessness is a pressing issue for myself. I find it difficult to see a homeless person...we're in 2017 and there are people who still don't have accommodation.

"I'd love to change that, especially locally.

"Football For Peace have a really good inner city programme in place which is about breaking down barriers - there's a lot of hatred and racism and vulnerable people being exposed.

"We saw these girls first hand at Yuwa. The girls were so receptive to me. I sat through classes in the day, I was up at 5am to do coaching on a field.

"We were in the middle of a training session, I was barking orders and a herd of cattle just came walking across the pitch with a shepherd! That's the beauty of it. It's so humbling to be out there and seeing those girls.

"Some of the stories they tell you about the things they've been through...it's night and day to what we're used to here.

"We're already planning on going back out to India.

"Initially the money will be split three ways and along the way we're going to ask each of our charities to give us a project we can fund as well.

"What I'm proud of is that our foundation is totally different. There's a lot of charities support out there for 'immediate' needs. This is a sustainable project to help people in the long term."

Coaching a young girls' football session in the middle of India at 5am...hosting a Foundation DB kids' party on his birthday later this month...or planning a sleep-in on the Molineux pitch next summer to raise awareness of homelessness...these aren't the actions of your average footballer.

Or are they? After all, two of Batth's recent team mates also have charity foundations, namely Benik Afobe and Dave Edwards.`

"I've benefitted from talking to Dave and Benik about their foundations," Batth said. "It's a learning process for myself but I've got a good team around me.

"Once I get an idea in my head I'm pretty determined to do it. I'll be hands on with it, doing it day to day, not just turning up and smiling for the cameras."

Batth's partner Natalie Ann Cutler, from Rowley Regis, is producing a documentary on the couple's recent Indian adventure, a year after she released her debut film Not In Vain which highlighted female acid attack victims in India.

Together they're a couple on a mission

"She's been brilliant from start to finish, she's really supportive and a lot of the ideas are hers," Batth added.

Cutler said: "We'll be releasing the documentary quite soon. We're going to have it as a pay-per-view as part of the foundation - people will be able to donate to watch the film and it'll go straight back into the foundation.

"Yuwa are using football to give girls confidence and skill sets to stay in educate. They need a new school, where they are at the minute is on a lease and they can't stay there for very long. Funding a school would be a great target for us."

The pair are brimming with ideas.

Batth said of the Molineux sleep-in: "It's very early in the planning but we're hoping to do a big fundraiser at Molineux to raise awareness of homelessness and money for the foundation.

"Whether the groundsman will let me on the pitch I'm not sure - I might have to break into the stadium!"

The 26-year-old takes his responsibility as a role model very seriously. Having become club captain at an unusually young age, the Brierley Hill-born centre half has grown into the role and blossomed into a Wolves and Wolverhampton figurehead both on and off the field.

The support of the club's supporters in his charity work makes a big difference.

"The support from the fans has always been brilliant for me, anything I've asked or needed help with they've always been there for me," he said.

"I'm hoping this will be no different and the foundation will ignite their interest and think 'I've come across that in my time, I can make a difference there'."

In Batth they have a captain to be proud of. And Batth's parents Stella and Bob have a son to be proud of too. He suggests his upbringing played a big part in his desire to give back.

"They've given everything to us," he said. "That support, the sacrifices they made, it's stayed with me. So to be able to do that...it would be great to know I've had a positive impact on the community I've been raised in."

Follow Foundation DB on Twitter @Foundation__DB (double underscore) or visit the website at www.foundationdb.co.uk