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| Cotswold Water Park hosts launch of Atlantic Rowing Challenge |
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| Written by Rachel Smith | |
| Tuesday, 17 July 2007 | |
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On 21 July at 6pm, Keynes Country Park (Lake 32) in the Cotswold Water Park will be graced by a boat more commonly found in the mid-Atlantic than in the Cotswold Water Park! And this one's bright pink!
The Cotswold Water Park Society have kindly agreed to host a boat naming and blessing ceremony for Rachel Smith (37) and Lin Griesel (41) who are entered into the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race, setting off from the Canaries in December. It will take them up to 3 months to row their way across the ocean in their 24-foot fibreglass and wooden boat, aiming to disembark in Antigua in 2008. As well as looking for sponsors to cover the £50,000 needed to participate, the team are racing to raise £100,000 for Breast Cancer Care. Lin, formerly from Swindon, and Rachel, have both seen relatives suffer from breast cancer and were keen to do something for the charity. Not inspired by the normal fundraising events available, their interest was sparked when a friend (Debra Searle, formerly Debra Veal) completed the row alone in 2001, after her partner had to be taken off the boat. The ide grew and eventually they decided to put a plan together. Two years later and they are just months from the race start. They completed the boat purchase earlier this year and are now training hard, spending hours kitting out and preparing the boat. Of course, pink was the obvious colour and the team are bringing her to Cotswold Water Park to unveil the new livery and sponsors' logos to family, friends and local sponsors - including Room 58 and The Direct Agency from Cheltenham, Clean Coaching Company of Gloucestershire and Academy Insurance from Swindon. The team will also be fresh from a collection at Swindon's ASDA Supercentre the same day. In a short ceremony, the boat will be officially renamed Barbara Ivy, after Lin's mother in law (who lived in Swindon) and Rachel's grandmother. Following a blessing, and tradition breaking of a bottle of champagne, the boat will be launched onto the lake to signify the next stage in the team's preparations. Entry into Keynes Park near Cirencester costs £4 per adult and 50p per child - the park is open 9am to 9pm so why not make a day of it? for directions to Keynes Park, check out the website for Cotswold Water Park at www.waterpark.org For more information and to find out how to help us, visit www.atlanticrowingchallenge.co.uk EndsDate: 17 July 2007 For more information please contact:Rachel SmithAtlantic Rowing Challenge for Breast Cancer CareRachel_smith@bankofscotland.co.ukTel: 01244 694197 (day)Mob: 07977 452 337 Notes to EditorsBreast Cancer Care has been working for over 30 years listening and talking to people about breast cancer, providing accurate, easy to understand information, practical and emotional support. They are the only charity working across the UK to provide these services. Every year they are contacted almost two million times for support and information through their services including their helpline, website and publications. All of their services are free. They are committed to campaigning for better treatment and support for people with breast cancer and their families.41,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. Every 13 minutes someone receives the devastating news that they have breast cancer. With their challenge, Lin and Rachel are raising money to help ensure that these women and men receive support and information when they need it most.The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer in the UK is 1 in 9. Each year over 41,000 women and 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. 80% of breast cancers occur in post-menopausal women (aged over 50). Demand for psychosocial support like that provided by Breast Cancer Care is increasing as a result of the rising incidence of breast cancer and people living longer with improved treatment.A donation of £15 enables Breast Cancer Care to send out breast cancer fact sheets and booklets to 30 people in urgent need of information; £35 ensures the charity can give someone calling their helpline the crucial one-to-one support they need and £65 enables them to provide support to someone via their online Ask the Nurse service.The Woodvale Challenge Atlantic Rowing Race starts in December 2007 and runs 2,935 miles from La Gomera in the Canaries to Antigua in the Caribbean. The crossing should take between 70 and 100 days (weather permitting!) and it's expected that between 25 and 40 boats will be taking part. During the race, teams face stark conditions, tropical storms, 30 foot waves, large tankers, extreme heat and a variety of wildlife, not all of which is friendly!Cotswold Water Park Society: a not for profit environmental charity working to improve the Cotswold Water Park for wildlife and people.For any more information please contact Education and Events Officer Jill Bewley 01285 861459.
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