News update 6th January 2018
Provisional dates for your diary!
The Spirit of Seaton challenge.
Weather permitting, we are hoping to start in Weymouth on July 25th 2018. The tides for that day mean that Fay needs to be in the water for about 6.45am to make the best use of them. Then she'll be spending the next few days immersed in the water for up to ten hours a day. If you bear in mind that she only started sea swimming in 2015 and her biggest swim event so far has 'only' been 10km, this really is a massive undertaking.
We are hoping to arrive in Seaton on the Saturday 28th but anything can happen with the weather and the sea. Safety is our main priority.
With me kayaking alongside Fay, and Beth walking the coast path, this 50 mile challenge is not to be sniffed at (especially the complex tides around Portland). Others will be joining us along the way, and everybody is welcome but I must stress that you do so at your own risk. Our plans are solely based upon Fays swim speed.
We have land support thanks to Roy Morley and his van too.
We shall be having a bit of a party the following weekend. Venue to be confirmed, but on August 4th we shall be having what can only be described as a mini festival. With live music, food, children's entertainment and a charity auction, this will be a great fund raising event for the two charities. This will be held under a VIP marquee that will have a separate (and safe) kids area. Truly an event for the whole family!
Confirmed so far;
Peter Bray. He kayaked solo across the North Atlantic in 2001 and has kindly offered to talk about his 76 day adventure, plus all the other amazing things that he has done!
Boson Theory. This local band will be playing, along with others to be confirmed.
We have a few things lined up for the charity auction, but more on that nearer the time, although I must mention the beautiful Greenland paddle that will be hand made especially for this event by Paul of Freedom Kayaks of Dorchester. There will be a competition to help with the design of this paddle. Please watch for updates.
A Short Story/Plea
In April 2010 I started working for RPM Motor Services in Seaton.
My employers, Andy and Shelly, were more than welcoming and before too long I considered them my friends too. Shelly was pregnant when I started working for them and, in October that year, she gave birth to Jack.
I've seen Jack growing up over these last 7 years and I feel like I'm sort of an unofficial uncle to him.
You can imagine how sad (and angry) I felt when I found out that he had been recently diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. You can imagine how his parents felt too, especially when the diagnosis came through that Jack has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
For those of you who aren't aware, this is the worst form that can be had. Jacks muscles will degenerate over the next few years. It is, and there is no other way to say this, 100% fatal.
Jack is 7 years old. He's done nothing wrong to deserve this and I for one feel so bloody helpless. As Andy said recently, he fixes cars everyday, why can't he fix his son?
Andy and Shelly have had to sell their house to move into a bungalow as Jack is already struggling with stairs. Jack isn't aware of why he struggles to move, and his parents have chosen not to tell him. At his age, he won't fully understand. Please respect this if you were to ever meet him.
I would really like to help them out with their up and coming expenses of buying equipment for Jack, adapting their new home and making sure that Jack has the best life that he can and I'm asking for your help.
Andy and Shelly have always been massively supportive throughout my kayaking challenges, helping to promote and help with expenses so now it's time to help them and, with my kayaking (along with the Kayaking for Charity team) and my girlfriend Fay being an open water swimmer, we have some ideas for some much needed fund raising, so watch this space.
When I first mentioned this to Jacks parents they immediately suggested that some of the fund raising goes to MD UK but they have since chosen Duchenne UK instead. You can read about them here; www.duchenneuk.org
Let's get Christmas out of the way first, but keeping checking here and our Facebook group for any updates.
If anybody would like to help, please contact me.
This time we're Kayaking for Jack.
A very overdue update.
Donations reached £6100 in total!
The book is coming along, way behind schedule but it is getting there.
There may be a challenge for next year... Involving swimming and kayaking and raising money for charity. Watch this space!
Kayaking for Charity have some rather good ideas for the future... we want to do so much more with this group so please keep checking back for further updates.
And don't forget to check out the music video below that was written and sung by local artist Karen Fairfax.
In April 2010 I started working for RPM Motor Services in Seaton.
My employers, Andy and Shelly, were more than welcoming and before too long I considered them my friends too. Shelly was pregnant when I started working for them and, in October that year, she gave birth to Jack.
I've seen Jack growing up over these last 7 years and I feel like I'm sort of an unofficial uncle to him.
You can imagine how sad (and angry) I felt when I found out that he had been recently diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. You can imagine how his parents felt too, especially when the diagnosis came through that Jack has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
For those of you who aren't aware, this is the worst form that can be had. Jacks muscles will degenerate over the next few years. It is, and there is no other way to say this, 100% fatal.
Jack is 7 years old. He's done nothing wrong to deserve this and I for one feel so bloody helpless. As Andy said recently, he fixes cars everyday, why can't he fix his son?
Andy and Shelly have had to sell their house to move into a bungalow as Jack is already struggling with stairs. Jack isn't aware of why he struggles to move, and his parents have chosen not to tell him. At his age, he won't fully understand. Please respect this if you were to ever meet him.
I would really like to help them out with their up and coming expenses of buying equipment for Jack, adapting their new home and making sure that Jack has the best life that he can and I'm asking for your help.
Andy and Shelly have always been massively supportive throughout my kayaking challenges, helping to promote and help with expenses so now it's time to help them and, with my kayaking (along with the Kayaking for Charity team) and my girlfriend Fay being an open water swimmer, we have some ideas for some much needed fund raising, so watch this space.
When I first mentioned this to Jacks parents they immediately suggested that some of the fund raising goes to MD UK but they have since chosen Duchenne UK instead. You can read about them here; www.duchenneuk.org
Let's get Christmas out of the way first, but keeping checking here and our Facebook group for any updates.
If anybody would like to help, please contact me.
This time we're Kayaking for Jack.
A very overdue update.
Donations reached £6100 in total!
The book is coming along, way behind schedule but it is getting there.
There may be a challenge for next year... Involving swimming and kayaking and raising money for charity. Watch this space!
Kayaking for Charity have some rather good ideas for the future... we want to do so much more with this group so please keep checking back for further updates.
And don't forget to check out the music video below that was written and sung by local artist Karen Fairfax.
360 miles, 3 weeks, 3 charities
A kayaking adventure starting from Tower Bridge and then following the coast to Seaton in East Devon.
We are raising money for Cancer Research, the RNLI, and St Peter's Hospice.
A kayaking adventure starting from Tower Bridge and then following the coast to Seaton in East Devon.
We are raising money for Cancer Research, the RNLI, and St Peter's Hospice.
Please watch and share this video. Let the world know!