ROWING almost 500 miles in 24 hours – and going nowhere – is not most people's idea of a grand day out but more than 50 students from the University of Derby will spend a day doing just that.
The charity Row-A-Thon starting today, (Thursday), at noon, will be carried out by students on the BTEC First and National Diploma Public Services courses, in the Devonshire Dome in constant shifts on three rowing machines.
They hope to raise at
least £2,000 for charity 'When You Wish Upon A Star', which aims to grant the wishes of children with life threatening or terminal illnesses, with their effort. It follows the first, smaller Buxton Row-A-Thon held last year.
Spurring on his teams will be event organiser Richard Robinson, Lecturer in Public Services at the campus and a former physical training instructor in the Royal Navy. He prepares students to join the Armed Forces, police and fire services, and to take up other uniformed careers.
He based the idea for the gruelling event on an old on-deck Navy exercise called 'Row The Suez Canal' and sees it as a chance to teach his students something about the stamina needed for things like long watches onboard – although his version is even tougher than the Navy's.
Fuelling the rowers' 'journey' will be £300 worth of sandwiches, fruit, chocolate and energy drinks, courtesy of Waitrose, and drinks from Buxton Water.
To sponsor the University students' Row-A-Thon contact Richard Robinson on 07967 585395 or email him at
R.Robinson@derby.ac.uk.
The full article contains 267 words and appears in Buxton Advertiser newspaper.
