The Wight Crew team. Top row (left to right) Bonnie Williams, Samantha Tilley Hampton, Caroline Death, Vicki Haworth. Bottom row (left to right) Rowan Middleton Leal, Dee Oswald and Jo Grindley
THEY have never rowed before, one cannot swim and three get seasick, but a group of women are hoping that won’t stop them from rowing across the English Channel for charity.
Inspired by the efforts of the GB rowing team at this year’s Olympics, the seven member Wight Crew, aged between 26 and 50, plan to row the 22 miles from Dover to Calais next June in aid of Ahoy and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
Group member Sam Hampton said they had already had support from Newport Rowing Club.
"We have started doing crew training and we have had fantastic support from the rowing club.
"We met their head trainer and one of the guys in charge of their boats and they have let us use one of their big wooden boats to train in. We’re going to be training on the water at weekends to get used to it.
"They said they were in awe of what we were doing, it’s going to be a massive challenge."
The challenge has been organised by national charity Ahoy, which uses water sports to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sam, 36, of Baring Road, Cowes, said: "We love the charity, but there was no Island link so we asked them if we could donate any money raised over the £12,000 target to the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. It is the first time they have ever done anything like this, but they said yes.
"They are similar charities and what Ellen does is so inspiring."
As well as support from the rowing club, the group has also had backing from businesses to help with fundraising and a fundraising dinner is planned for early next year.
The group can be contacted by e-mail via thewightcrew@gmail.com
Find out more about the rowers below:
THE BAD INFLUENCE
a.k.a Samantha Tilley Hampton
This blonde bombshell's background in City finance will be handy for when it comes to counting the pennies in our fundraising. Sam somehow manages to combine an impressive ability to drink lots of wine/eat unhealthy food/stay up late, yet still be able to train the next day AND perform better than most of the rest of us who have been good. Which is unfair.
Mummy to Scarlett (6) she currently manages the Mermaid chartering fleet at Sea View Yacht Club (www.sail-mermaids.com)
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"My late father was a great Sportsman who I admired immensely and we always shared our love of sport together. I made a promise to him that one day I would set myself a challenge and until now I had not found the right goal. So in memory of my fantastic dad and in the hope of raising lots of money towards an amazing charity I joined The Wight Crew".
BINKIE
a.k.a Caroline Death
Super slinky Binkie is the dark horse of the team. Those who know her background as former PR girl for John Frieda might assume Caroline is too glam for rowing, but they would be very much mistaken. Don't let the tumbling pre-Raphaelite curls mislead you. This is a woman with an iron will, and she is determined to help get us to France.
Mummy to Freddie (5) and Leo (3.5), Caroline works in her family's businesses, Weaver Bros Ltd (www.weaverbros.co.uk) and J.M Death Builders.
Her favourite rally cry for The Wight Crew is 'our wake, your funeral' **
** She's never said this, but we think she should start.
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"With the big 40 looming, I've decided it's time finally to get fit and what better way of achieving this by undertaking this rather daunting challenge. What's more raising money for charity, and having lots of fun along the way are fantastic motivators!"
BIONIC BONNIE
a.k.a Bonnie Williams
Bonnie by name and by nature. The sweet 'young un' and the only non-mummy. Thank goodness she agreed to come on board, we needed someone to lower our average age!
She's a personal trainer (Bonnie B Fit), a fantastic Pilates instructor, an organic chef for her business Bnatural, and she helps her partner with his Cowes based boat building business, Alpha Plus. Phew, I'm exhausted just reading that list. Bonnie is working with us all to develop individual training and diet programmes – something we all very much need!
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"Not being one to turn down an adventure I jumped at the chance to get on board and row with some great ladies!"
BUBBLES
a.k.a. Dee Oswald
The ever elegant and bubbly Dee has the ability to sniff out an open, full - this is important -bottle of decent champagne at a distance. We plan on testing this ability to the max by having someone on the shore at Calais with an open bottle of Krug. Will she be able to detect it at a distance of 22 miles? Place your bets here.
Dee helps run the family property consultancy business, is fulltime Mum to Jack (10) and organiser/supreme leader of husband John.
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"Being the oldest member of the crew and into my second half century, I have a midlife quest for an adventurous challenge, whilst the mind is still willing and the body still able!"
D.J
a.k.a. Rowan Middleton-Leal
The impossibly glamorous Scottish lass and former lawyer, she is the team’s legal eagle and a recovering check list addict (it’s not working. We are check-listed to the max).
Driven by her unequivocal optimism and zest for life, she will give 110% to this challenge. One minute you will find her undergoing the most gruelling training schedules, the next, kicking off her trainers and putting on her heels, enjoying a drink or three (well she is Scottish). There is no other whose motto rings more true than hers, "work hard, play hard".
Mummy to Angus (5) and Harris (3.5), Rowan provides legal consultancy services to local businesses through her company, Sorbus Consulting .
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"I can’t swim, I have never rowed and am frightened of deep water. So when I heard about this challenge, it immediately appealed to me! A fantastic charity, and a great reason to conquer my fears"
THE DUCHESS
a.k.a Jo Grindley
Super astute, and an extremely successful businesswoman, Jo currently runs Into the Blue, a sports sponsorship and communications agency based in Cowes, Isle of Wight (http://www.intotheblue.biz). Having spent most of 2012 - and the 10 years before - as part of the team aiding Ben Ainslie become the most successful Olympic sailor ever, we are all hoping Jo will apply the lessons learned in managing a five time Olympic medallist to our challenge
Married to Simon, a hoarder/collector of lawn mowers and expensive bicycles (apparently the number you need is X + 1, where X is the number you currently have!). Mummy to Ella (10) and Millie (8).
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"A challenge for me – is that selfish!"
MISS CONGENIALITY
a.k.a Vicki Haworth
Wonder woman Vicki helps run the family businesses, Godshill Cider Company (http://www.godshillcider.co.uk), and Chocolate Shop (http://www.chocolate-island.co.uk), as well as being a ward sister at the local hospital. Somehow, in between the jobs and family life, she found time to study and has recently qualified in prescriptive medicine.
Vicki will be attending to any medical emergencies we may have (not that we are at all paranoid about having a heart attack while training or anything...). So whether it's bursting blisters, ridding us of our wrinkles, or NLP to banish our chocolate addiction, she's a one stop shop. Result.
Mummy to Ben (8) and Amelie (6).
Personal motivation for the challenge:
"To get fit, lose weight and to have an adventure!"