Friday 21 June 2013

Great news on sponsorship & photos

Dear all

Lots of photos now appearing on the Warspite web site - if you are involved in the group and don't have a password, please do email us to ask.

I can also confirm that Warspite has not raised over £8,800 to be split between the group and the Princess Alice Hospice in Esher.





Sunday 16 June 2013

Pictures

http://warspite.smugmug.com/Other/Thames-Scout-Row/30017072_CKcrKk/

We are just getting started....

Pictures in 1 week

Hi all

Hope the rowers have recovered well from their legs - I must admit that walking up stairs was a bit of a challenge last night!

Can we ask you to check back with us in a week for pictures of the event.

All the best

Richard

Saturday 15 June 2013

All over now

The pics will come later, but just a msassive thank you to all the team who made this event possible.

Sleep well folks

Rich

Ian Adam's pictures from the night leg




Leg 6 is off - on time and on schedule.

Not a lot else to say - apart from Happy Birthday Don Nelson - thanks for coming out to play!

Leg 5 is under way.

The teams for leg 5, the half way point, are off. We had a bit of a margin, but the M25 ate some of that up, so are back on time, running a little early.

As a reminder:

To donate to 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scouts in support of their work: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/ajaxseascouts

To donate to 1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scouts - all donations will be split between the group and the Princess Alice Hospice: https://mydonate.bt.com/events/100milerow

Good luck to all the gents rowing on this leg - but a special shout for Don Nelson, who has not only organised the 2 warspite teams for the leg, but also made this event part of his significant birthday celebrations.

Rich

Don's Challenge is underway and presently on schedule

Well, still all going well. On time and on schedule. At the present rate, we would expect a 5pm BBQ to cover the finish. We thought you might enjoy some random pictures from the evening.

The great news is that Ajax Sea Scouts have raised over £3,000 towards the work needed & the Warspite teams have raised in excess of £6,700 to be split between the Princess Alice Hospice and the Group. https://mydonate.bt.com/events/100milerow is the link for the Warspite/Princess Alice boats.

As we came down the river in the pitch black, searching for the way through, we did say that this is exactly the kind of event Don would have loved. He would have been there, perched on Warspite, with a coffee and planning the next set of swap rounds.

Thanks to the tremendous rowers and team which have got us this far - the speed at night was inspiring and the pictures cannot do justice to the beauty of gigs being rowed at night.














Friday 14 June 2013

Sunrise in Henley

At marsh lock

We are 20 mins ahead of plan and just waiting for the final crew to get here to get off and going.


Through Sonning lock

On schedule and swapping to team 2 - well done leg 1 crews

ASU boat herding gigs above Caversham lock


We are off

11.50 and we are rowing

Thank yous

A venture like this one has loads of people behind it, but there are 3 whose work has been largely hidden away, but absolutely vital to it happening at all:

Diane, Mark and Esther of Ajax have done amazing amounts of work for this event - without them none of it would be possible,

Our thanks to them 



Waiting for the start

The boats are now at Mapeldurham, near Reading, waiting for the start.

Well done to Ian, Dave, Gareth, Jenny, Neil and Emma for getting them up there - over to the rowers to get them home again now......

The great news is that the Warspite boats have raised over £6000 to be split between the Princess Alice Hospice and the Group, we also understand Ajax have raised close to £3000 for their building fund.

What many may not understand I shuts how large a logistical operation it is to have taken the boats so far up river - over 55 miles - so quickly. There are few groups and teams which could have achieved this - so well done to all.

The tow continues

The boats are over halfway to the start, having travelled through the night. Less than 12 hours till the first crews head out from surbiton to make their way to the river.

Thursday 13 June 2013

And so it starts

By 7pm tonight, the tow crew will be under way, taking the boats to the top of the row. It's almost as big an ask as the actual row,with a limited timeframe and a small crew. Wish them well.


Wednesday 12 June 2013

Why we are doing this - Warspite


Members of 1st Cuddington Sea Scout Group, their friends and families and supporters of the group are being asked to line a stretch of the river Thames and cheer members of the group as 18 teams comprising of 100 rowers and two support crews complete over 100 miles of rowing in aid of Princess Alice Hospice and their Scout group.

The 1st Cuddington group  lost two great supporters last year - Judith Mobbs (wife of Alan and former Beaver helper), and Don Everitt (former Scout Leader, Explorer Scout Leader, Rowing instructor, RYA Chief Instructor and much more.) Both individuals and their families received brilliant care from the wonderful team at Princess Alice Hospice. 

The group say:

“The hospice has a history of supporting our community.  As well as Don & Judith last year, in 1998, they supported Recce Hutchinson - former Scout Leader, proponent of pink fluffy slippers, brilliant jokes and very sage advice - and his family in the last stages of his life. As a group and as members of the wider community we value the support that they give.”

“At Don Everitt's wake, an idea was conceived of undertaking a sponsored row in memory of our friends and to raise funds for both the group and the hospice which provided such exceptional care. What made it even better was that our friends at the 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scouts had started preparation for such an event. Given the work Don did to set up our joint RYA training centre, the idea seemed unbelievably good.”

“Nearly six months later, the event is upon us. At 00:01 on Saturday 15 June, two Warspite gigs will start rowing at Mapeldurham lock and head down the 55 miles of the River Thames to the clubs boathouse. Over the course of the event, each gig will be rowed by nine teams, so by the early evening, the 18 teams rowing the boats will have completed 100 miles.

An array of participants are taking part in the sponsored row, they include Recce's son, Don's children, ex members of the group, current scouts, mums, dads and many more.  The first leg includes a team with ex members who won the youth trophy in the Great River Race with Scouts approximately 15 years ago. 

The final leg will see group Leaders who worked closely with Don, rowing alongside the team Don coached and coxed to victory in the 2012 under 14 section of the Great River Race. There are more amazing background stories about the teams. Details can be found at www.facebook.com/warspiteseascouts 
The Scout group is inviting supporters to join them at the finish to cheer the last boats home and enjoy a summer BBQ. Crews are expected between 5.30 and 7pm, if you would like to join in the fun email check out http://scoutsrow.blogspot.co.uk for updated details.
To support all of our great teams on this challenge visit https://mydonate.bt.com/events/100milerow 
If you know any of the rowers and want to donate to them specifically please visit https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/1stcuddingtonwarspiteseascoutgroup 

So far the group have raised over £4,300 online and more using the traditional paper sponsorship form. Their hope is to raise at least £5,000 for the two causes.

Notes 
  • Princess Alice Hospice is a registered charity. It provides specialist end of life and palliative care free of charge to people with advanced illness and those approaching the end of their lives. The charity provides support to families and friends at every stage of illness and after death.

  • The Hospice catchment area includes Surrey, South West London and Middlesex serving a population in excess of 1 million.

  • Over £8 million is needed each year to provide these vital and much needed services, with limited NHS funding over 77% of funding must be raised through  voluntary donations and fundraising.

  • 1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scouts (charity 307511) is a part of the Scout Association and one of just 101 Sea Scout groups inspected & recognised by the Royal Navy for excellence in training.


Monday 10 June 2013

BBQ at rowing's end

We will be having a BBQ at the end to welcome the three gigs home. We will be cooking burgers and sausages, which will be available for a small (or large) donation. You are very welcome to bring along your own salad and sides etc. and join us on the river bank at Thames Ditton. 

 

We will serve tea, coffee and squash but if you want anything stronger please bring this with you.

 

We will be "opening the doors" at 5pm, but it's worth checking out http://scoutsrow.blogspot.co.uk for our best estimate of when the three gigs will be back.

 

We will be splitting any surplus on the BBQbetween the three worthy causes involved. Ajax Sea Scouts, Princess Alice Hospice and Warspite Sea Scouts; so please do come along to join us and raise a huge cheer for all the crews and support folks on this epic adventure.

 

To donate visit www.facebook.com/Warspiteseascouts for details


Tuesday 4 June 2013

The 24 hour tow for the 100 mile row

Dear all

Before the event can even start, the boats and all the equipment needs to get to the start. We have a great team led by Ian, with Jenny, Dave, Gareth & Emma taking the boats up to the top of the row - and even getting sponsorship for it. They are going to aim to do it in a continuous trip - no mean feat.

So go on, sponsor them as they work all night from Thursday!

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/24hourtowfor100milerow

Saturday 1 June 2013


We will use this blog to keep people up to date on the progress of the Warspite & Ajax Scout rowing challenge. Particularly on the day, we will be trying to keep this updated




The top pictures are young people who are now taking part in Teams PAFI and DILLIGAF taking pert in the Great River Race, whilst the bottom one is Team Dilligaf practicing in near perfect conditions.