Rowing To Belgium!!

[NEWKID 27,159]

Lads,

 

I may have mentioned I'm rowing the channel this year with a group of mates in a 6 man Cornish gig, me and a mate are 40 this year and wanted to do something a bit different to "celebrate" lol, and for some reason we chose rowing to Belgium for charrity!!

 

We chose a local charity, Dream-A-Way, which takes seriously ill or disabled children away on holidays, the charity is run by a man who grew up on the same estate as us and it is strictly non profitable, every penny raised goes to the charity.

 

Below I've attached the summary my mate put together out lining the event.

 

Since then we have booked fund raising nights each month leading up to the row, inc a race night, auction night and a gig night where we're hiring a hall putting on bands and a bar and all proceeds will go in the pot.

 

We're hoping to raise £25k, that will pay for a static caravan to go alongside the 9 the charity already has and help more families take a holiday.

 

At the bottom I've attached links to the Dream-A-Way web site, our just giving page and our face book page.

 

For those of you on Face book please like and share the page and follow our progress, and if anyone would like to donate that would be great,

 

"What to do when you’re thirty nine and three quarters. The usual activities came to mind Vegas, New York and other such exciting breaks away but this didn’t seem enough.

We are a group of lads that were born and brought up in Countess Weir, Exeter and we are all in that year when we are about to hit the big 40………. We have all moved on, taking different paths in life but still have maintained our friendships.

It was one Saturday morning in the middle of winter 2015 and a single text message was sent saying “shall we row from England to Belgium”. The reaction was “yes” and that is where the story began.

We as a group have been very fortunate and have managed to carve a good life for ourselves and family and decided early on that whilst doing this event we wanted to give something back to the community and keep it local to our roots. It didn’t take long and the decision was quickly made that we would support “Dream-A-Way” a local charity that has touched a large number of people close to us all.

So what does this all mean? Well we are going to row the channel starting in Ramsgate and landing in Nieuwport in Belgium, the distance is a minimum of 56 miles and should take between 14 – 16 hours. We are going to do this in a Cornish gig which is 6 rowers and 1 cox. The dates during which we are looking to attempt this challenge are either the 2nd or 3rd weekend in October 2016 weather permitting.

So the team that have been drafted together to pull this off are as follows (at this stage we are looking at very different sizes and sporting abilities to say the least), Kevin McGuinness, Phil McGuinness, George Jays, Phil Jays, Paul Fleet, Andy Spry and Tony Hughes.

The talking so far has been easy but now we have to start the real part of all of this, the training. We have 8 months of solid graft to get fit and learn how to row a Cornish gig, sounds easy but I am sure there will be a few bumps along the way."

 

http://dream-a-way.org/

 

https://www.(!64.56:886/Six-oars-to-Nieuwpoort-1514774282155609/?fref=ts

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/six_oars

 

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/dreamaway

Edited April 15, 2016 by NEWKID

[TUFFTY 1,476]

The channel! !

Blimey you must be fit lads to do that.

Sounds like a good idea with the Local charity.

Good luck on your feat.

[NEWKID 27,159]

Thank you mate, used to be fit... hoping there's a fair chunk of body memory lol.

We're training at the minute (gym, running etc) and should be on the water in a gig in the next week or 2.

 

It's a fair challenge as none of us has gig rowed before so we've got to get fit and learn to row! lol

[TUFFTY 1,476]

Bet you have a right laugh doing it as well mate.

Keep us posted on the training, with pictures of course.

 

I've had a butchers of the charity website and that ain't a million miles away from where I used to live.

Lovely part of the world.

[kanny 20,611]

Two irainians have just done it in a blow up dinghy I don't know what all the fuss is about now seriously the very best of luck that's a awsom challenge for a good charity fair play to you

[Lab 10,979]

Good luck mate....??

[pesky1972 5,295]

Train hard, row easy. ? Great cause & a great effort. Best of luck pal.

[Francie 6,368]

Fair play to you lads, very good idea lol

[NEWKID 27,159]

Thanks lads,

 

I'll chuck stuff up on here as we go, might be a laugh for you lot watching us struggle at least lol.

The face book page is updated more regularly, I'm not really on face book, but have a profile purely for this.

Any of you lads on there like and share the page..... Cheers

[taz2010 1,297]

good on you lads doing it for charity aswell a bonus and a credit

[Francie 6,368]

You must have balls on ye like bengalli tiger mate, thats a dangerous row.

[Lab 10,979]

Thanks lads,

 

I'll chuck stuff up on here as we go, might be a laugh for you lot watching us struggle at least lol.

The face book page is updated more regularly, I'm not really on face book, but have a profile purely for this.

Any of you lads on there like and share the page..... Cheers

If liked it, shared it and donated.

If I hear you've broken your collar bone and your oars were nicked by 2 lads with tattoos I'm going to get a tad suspicious...??

[NEWKID 27,159]

 

Thanks lads,

I'll chuck stuff up on here as we go, might be a laugh for you lot watching us struggle at least lol.

The face book page is updated more regularly, I'm not really on face book, but have a profile purely for this.

Any of you lads on there like and share the page..... Cheers

If liked it, shared it and donated.

If I hear you've broken your collar bone and your oars were nicked by 2 lads with tattoos I'm going to get a tad suspicious...

Haha.... Thanks mate, most appreciated...

 

 

 

Right where's my excuse book?? Lol

[WILF 46,917]

I know you lot are a bit bumpkin down there in the west but you do realise they have Ferries that travel to Belgium now don't you?

[BGD 6,436]

I know you lot are a bit bumpkin down there in the west but you do realise they have Ferries that travel to Belgium now don't you?

 

Idiots will barely be able to fit their limit of fags and booze on a row boat!

 

Fair play NEWKID one hell of a challenge and a cracking cause you're supporting