Six intrepid rowers from Edinburgh are thrilled they’re going to compete in the Great River Race on the Thames in September 2025, and raise funds for Euan’s Guide, an award winning disabled access charity.

Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club

The rowers are from Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club, and they’ll be rowing in a community-built St Ayles skiff. The primary aim of their rowing club is to develop the competitive sport of coastal rowing, the secondary one is to enjoy the opportunities a shared boat affords for recreation, adventure and leisure. The club is committed to creating a positive and encouraging environment where everyone can improve. Eastern will be 10 years old this year, and one of the rowers will also be celebrating a zero birthday on race day! For a club with adventure as a specific aim, taking part in this race seemed obvious!

The Great River Race

Covering 21.6 miles, from Millwall in the East to Richmond in the west, the Great River Race can have up to 300 fixed seat rowing boats competing! Quite the spectacle. Based on Thames Watermen heritage, each boat must have a cox to steer, and a passenger. And a flag!

Euan’s Guide

One of the Eastern crew was a close friend of Euan McDonald MBE, who founded the charity Euan’s Guide. The website gathers and shares information about accessibility, drawing from the real life experiences of people with disabilities, and empowering them by providing accurate information, to give confidence and choices for daily life.

Euan sadly passed away in 2024, a few days after his 50th birthday. The Guide, and the wider work of the charity, are a fitting legacy for an individual with a healthy attitude to adventure. Euan’s Guide is Edinburgh based and has a UK-wide reach.

The Eastern crew are delighted to raise funds and the profile of Euan’s Guide while rowing the Great River Race in 2025.

Euans Guide Charity – read more here: https://www.euansguide.com/

Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club – read more here https://eacrc.wordpress.com/

The Motley Crew

Katherine Stephen Bio:

With a family history in both the Royal and Merchant navies, Katherine has loved boats her whole life despite growing up away from the sea. In her adulthood she has lived and worked on canal boats, enjoyed a stint in the Merchant Navy working for Maersk, and has now been coastal rowing in St Ayles skiffs for nearly seven years. She is in two different rowing clubs and has won multiple gold medals with Eastern. The Great River Race in 2025 happens to fall on her 40th birthday, and she can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to race along a spectacular river and raise some money for Euan’s Guide.

Emma Lawrence Bio:

Originally from Belfast, Emma was a liveaboard an ocean going yacht for 4 ½ years in the 1990s. After her move back to Edinburgh, she reconnected with the sea by helping form one of the first Scottish coastal rowing clubs. She has twice coxed the Great Tyne Race, rowed in many parts of Scotland, in N Ireland and the Netherlands. She’s coxed World championship teams to medal success! She can’t wait to cox the crew (and hopefully winners) in the 2025 Great Thames Race for Euan’s Guide.

Sam Anson Bio:

Originally from landlocked Sheffield, Sam has made Portobello his home with his family since 2016. He has been rowing for two years and finds it be fantastic for both his physical and mental health. Having previously swam in the Thames as part of the London triathlon, he is excited to see it from a different angle during the Great River Race.

Fiona Richardson Bio:

By day a mental health nurse, all other times a rower/water lover. Fiona feels that everyday stresses in life are lifted when on and near water. This should be accessible for all. She has rowed for 12 years….more recently for Eastern and previously for there neighbours Rowporty, Fiona is passionate about this charity and looking forward to the challenge. She understood some of the challenges faced for people with disabilities before but became very aware of the scale of the accessibility issues after her best friends brother had a mountain biking accident resulting in a serious spinal cord/neck injury. Having never raced this distance before she is ready for the blisters….They will be worth every penny we raise.

Jim McGiffen Bio:

Three years ago, Jim discovered his passion for rowing after relocating to Portobello from bustling London. During his time down south he enjoyed several trips up and down the Thames, often accompanied by a refreshing gin and tonic in hand. However, this time around, he fears the experience might not be as leisurely as in the past, but it will all be worth it to support this great charity.

Paul Main Bio:

Paul studied at University with Euan McDonald and has helped to Fundraise for Euan’s Guide and the Euan MacDonald Centre (For MND Research) over the years:

Paul has help to process the results of The Euan's Guide Access Survey, where over 6000 disabled people, their friends, families, and carers share their real experiences of accessibility in venues across the UK.

Paul moved back to Edinburgh in 2021 after more than 20 years in London. He’s been coastal rowing from his Portobello seaside home in Edinburgh for over 2 years , and thought it would be brilliant to see the capital from a different perspective.