Raised so far: £1,407.00
Donate now

My story

 

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Warwickshire And Northamptonshire Air Ambulance gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Well we didnt quite make it and on a what was a very blustery day rowing against the tide and as difficult what seemed an 80 mile an hour hoolee, my final captains log will say "we sank"

As they said in Belfast "The Titanic was ok when it left us" and that is the case with the IRRV boat but in our post race inspection, the diagnosis of the sinking was put down to a punctured barrel and gave Mr Watson and Ms Cutler sitting above it a pretty uncomfortable ride. At one point, we were actually going backwards up the river despite all rowing forwards and having lost 3 men overboard into the River Avon at different times and despite attempts to lighten the weight by taking off Messrs Stewart, Traynor, Watson and the captain off, we were still sinking and fighting a losing battle. As such, in true British style we reboarded and despite our best efforts the raft went down and the captain was last to leave ship reappearing covered in mud. Mr Traynor lost a big toe nail in hauling the raft to safety so the team literally gave blood for the cause which with your help we have raised nearly £1000 and in spite of us not finishing we hopefully can increase on this figure if you still feel we deserved it. Needless to say if our luck had matched our effort and enthusiasm we would have finished but as they say "you learn more from failure than you do success" (horrible management cliche) and I am sure we will be back again with a six barrelled raft having learnt from the North Warwickshire raft that skippered by Steve Barber and rowed by all my revenues and benefits staff plus Justine from Bristows finished the 7 and a half hour race in a magnificent time of just over 5 hours in the most difficult conditions the race organisers have experienced in its 25 years.

They were truly magnificent as demonstrated by the pictures on a raft built by the depot and I am sure they are feeling the pain today but have the satisfaction of completing it.

Thanks to everyone's support on what was a brilliant day

If you still want to donate you can do, the NWBC team did it for the organisers sponsors the Princes Trust and they will be coming around work with a bucket later (emptied of any water out of the River Avon). If you haven't donated, please give whatever you can to what was a brilliant team effort

As for the IRRV team and its management team of the great and good in revenues and benefits, it was a case of "better to have tried and failed than not try at all" and donations can still be made via the following website to the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance if people want to support remotely

wHow can you support. Well are donation you can afford would be great to be made via this website. The air ambulance is a great cause as it services some of the busiest motorway networks in the UK across the Midlands

Please sponsor us (we need all the encouragement we can get)

Regards

Bob Trahern

IRRV National President

  


Good Luck don't get to wet Donation by Phillip Cutler 07/07/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

A good team building (sinking)exercise Donation by David Magor 02/07/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good on you! Donation by Lesley Clarke 26/06/08  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Well done all! Donation by Fraser Macpherson 26/06/08  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

There is always next year!! Donation by Kerry Macdermott 25/06/08  

£47.00 + £13.26 Gift Aid

On a sinking ship yet again!!! Donation by Fife Benefits/Council Tax Assessment Team 25/06/08  

£100.00

A truly heroic effort and a very worthy cause! Donation by Islwyn Lewis-Jones 25/06/08  

£100.00

Well done all - it's the taking part! Donation by Geoff Fisher 24/06/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Better luck next year! Donation by Martina McNicholas 24/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

You sank? Ohh no!!!! Donation by Sandi 24/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Britain was once a great sea faring nation ---- in the past. Donation by Pat Doherty 24/06/08  

£25.00

Blight and famine, plague and earthquake, roaring deeps and fiery sands. Clanging fights, and flamin Donation by Phil Triggs 24/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Oh dear! Better Luck next year :-) Donation by Tracey Richardson 23/06/08  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Well done. Terrible conditions for rowing. Donation by Andrew Jones 23/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

The Royal Navy are apparently looking for new recruits…….. as submarine crew….interested? Donation by Catherine Cross 23/06/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck!!! Donation by Jamie Sowler 23/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done, suggest bunjee jumping next time Donation by Michael Hopkins 23/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Hope it all went well. Lets hope you all dry out soon. Donation by Nick Rowe 23/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Don't forget the scuba diving gear! Donation by Katrina Evans 23/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

"oars" well that ends well! Donation by Phil Adlard 23/06/08  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Hope the wind was blowing in the right direction..! Donation by Roy Thompson 22/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck, Bob no jumping ship and going on North Warwickshire raft! Have fun and get wet. Donation by Amrik Boghan 22/06/08  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

You've got Kevin, Kerry and Gary on the raft??!!! Are you mad!? Remember the Captain always goes down with the ship! Good Luck all :-)) Donation by Sue Williams-Lee 21/06/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

All the best! Donation by Ian Filmer 21/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

good luck to you all - eat porridge two hours beforehand - it might give you half a chance! Donation by mark davies - the holistic company 21/06/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Enjoy a good soaking Donation by Jean Barraclough 21/06/08  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck all with Bob steering you will need it !!! Donation by Clayhead & Cobbler No 2 Talbot 20/06/08  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck and have fun. Donation by Bacs (Dawneth, Mike & Mike) 20/06/08  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Hope you have got your water wings....hope you have fun, remember it will be easier if you drink the champagne before you set sail ! good luck Donation by judith keech 20/06/08  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Try not to get your hair wet Carol, Good Luck.xx Donation by Elizabeth Berry 20/06/08  

£10.00
Donate now
 
* Total raised online: £1,407.00
  Offline donations: £0.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £257.23

* Charities pay a small fee for our service.
Find out how much it is and what we do for it.