News Item 488

Olympic rowers aim to pull in the pounds for charity

Olympic Gold Medallist Ed Coode will be straining at his oars intent on getting the national Oars for Treloar’s fundraising campaign off to a flying start at the Virgin Active Health Club in London’s Barbican on March 28 (11.30am -2pm). Not content with cutting a ribbon or making a speech to launch the charitable Oars for Treloar’s campaign, Ed will take on anyone brave enough to row against him in a 500 metre or one-minute challenge.

It will be a fitting beginning for Oars for Treloar’s, which is challenging rowers throughout the UK to raise sponsorship cash to row 100 miles - a mile for every year that the Hampshire-based Treloar Trust has been helping to improve the lives of physically disabled students. Ed Coode, part of the victorious GB coxless four team in Athens in 2004, is not the only Olympic rowing star putting his weight behind Oars for Treloar’s. Five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave and 2004 Silver Medallist Debbie Flood, are also helping Centenary fundraising for Treloar School and Treloar College in Alton, which have been providing specialist education and independence training for disabled youngsters since 1908.

As an independent charity, Treloar Trust has to raise £2m every year just to survive. The Amateur Rowing Association and Concept2 (the indoor rowing machine company) are also both promoting the Oars for Treloar’s campaign, which will award sponsorship incentive prizes including two return flights to the USA, donated by Concept2. Virgin Active is also promoting the campaign to its employees and members.

The Oars for Treloar’s 100-mile charity challenge is open to all types of rowers - on river, lake, sea or land! The 100 miles can be rowed on a rowing machine or water, by individuals or in a team. The campaign runs until September so rowers will have plenty of time to accumulate the miles. Rowers will also have a common cause - helping to establish a world where physically disabled young people can learn and take control of their lives.  

Most young people at Treloar School and Treloar College are wheelchair users; many have little or no speech; some will not live to grow old. Treloar’s, as the renowned specialist provider of education and independence training is popularly known, is currently celebrating its centenary - 100 years of providing generations of disabled people with, quite simply - a better life "We need your support to help them improve their lives and dare to dream. Together we can change the lives of some of the most disabled young people in the UK today. Go on..... push the boat out, put some muscle into it, and pull for Treloar’s! " urged Fiona Janczur, who is ’coxing’ the fundraising campaign.

Oars for Treloar’s information packs are available from Fiona Janczur or Wendy Edwards on 01420 526511/523.