This press release was issued by PAPYRUS on 27 April 2023.
Two rowers docked their boat in a busy shopping centre last weekend ahead of a record-breaking challenge for charity.
Jim Ronaldson, 67, and Ian Davies, 63, completed a 24-hour “row-athon” last weekend (22nd and 23rd April) in Oxford’s Westgate Shopping Centre.
The event was to publicise their plans to become the oldest crew to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean and prove that “age is just a number”.
If the pair – who are both grandparents – complete the 3,000-mile journey as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December they will break the world record for the oldest crew to complete the feat, with a median age of 65.6.
Jim, who previously worked as a boatman and has been rowing for 50 years will be raising funds for the national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide.
Ian completed the gruelling feat in 2019, but with a four-person crew.
Ian and Jim said they “hope to inspire others and show that age is just a number.”
After donating £10,000 of their own money, the pair need to raise a further £8,000 to cover costs before they can start collecting for charity.
You can donate to their fundraising page here.
For practical, confidential suicide prevention help and advice contact PAPYRUS HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
