A BRAVE Pershore woman who has never rowed before is preparing to cross the British Channel at the first attempt for charity.
21-year-old Ella Gibbons, will take the plunge across the weekend of Saturday (July 9) and Sunday (July 10) in a bid to raise £12,000 for The AHOY Centre, who help to give life skills to disadvantaged, disabled and at-risk youths through sailing and rowing.
Miss Gibbons will join-up with her six ‘Row Hard or Row Home’ team members, as they attempt to combat the gruelling 23 mile channel from Dover to France in just five hours.
“The opportunity to take part in the event was advertised at work and I have a naive tendency to say yes to almost everything. However, I didn’t realise I was also signing up for hands covered in blisters and legs that struggle to walk up the stairs for weeks,” said Miss Gibbons.
“We’ve had to learn how to row from scratch and with only four on-water sessions, it seems like we really have launched ourselves head first into the deep end.
“But being able to combine my love of sport with a cause that’s helping those less fortunate than myself is really motivating and rewarding. The charity I’m pushing my mental and physical boundaries for is changing lives, by providing at-risk youths life skills that will integrate them into society and the world of work.
“Any support, whether it’s words of encouragement, donations or corporate sponsorship are all incredibly important and very appreciatively received. I’ve been amazed and so grateful to the generosity so far,” she added.
Visit www.justgiving.com/The-AHOY-Centre-Charity-The-AHOY24 to donate or for more information.
