Local trio from Lymington Town Rowing Club – Fee Brooker, Kirsty Melin, and Alex Sheldon – embark on 650-mile rowing challenge
Three long-standing members of Lymington Rowing Club have begun an approximately 650-mile journey for charity.
Fee Brooker, Kirsty Melin, and Alex Sheldon’s journey is expected to take two weeks. It is a fundraising effort—Brooker is raising money for Oakhaven Hospice, while Melin is raising money for Olivia Inspires.
The arduous journey began near the Turks and Caicos Islands – a British overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea – and will culminate in Miami.
“Many of you will know that rowing is a passion of mine”, said 60-year-old Brooker, Lymington Rowing Club chairman and treasurer. “I usually do this on the Solent close to where we live or on rivers. But as a challenge to myself, I’ve set off on an approximately 650-mile expedition.”
Brooker, who moved to Lymington in 2000, added: “There are 12 of us on board the boat called Roxy. With eight people on the oars at any one time. We row in three-hour shifts, living and sleeping on the boat.”
The altruistic trio set off on the 3rd of March. They will go up past the Bahamas and then across to the finish in Miami, where they are expected to arrive on the 17th of March, subject to weather and other factors.
Brooker added: “I have decided to use the challenge as a way of raising money for our local hospice, Oakhaven. Having experienced personally the incredible work done by the hospice movement and as a volunteer for Oakhaven, I wanted to try to support them.”
Oakhaven Hospice provides specialist palliative care and support to people facing life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones in both a home and hospice setting. Oakhaven needs to raise over £8 million annually to continue providing these vital services.
Melin, who lives in Milford, has been a long-standing member of Lymington Rowing Club and oversees the club’s recreational rowers and new members.
The 57-year-old is the founder and owner of Rowing Adventures, a Lymington-based company offering adventure rowing and learn-to-row courses in and around the Solent.
Melin said: “Some years ago, I was presented with a volunteer coach award by Nigel and Paula Burt from the charity Olivia Inspires.”
Nigel and Paula Burt, the parents of Olivia Burt, founded Olivia Inspires after their daughter died in her 20s outside a nightclub. The charity assists children and young people who live or are educated in the New Forest District Council area and are facing financial hardship, enabling them to develop their potential in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects, the arts, and sports.
She added: “So, I approached Nigel and Paula to see if we could use this rowing challenge as a way to inspire and raise more funds for them. They can provide small grants to help buy equipment or services that will give the applicant a much-needed helping hand.
“I’ve enjoyed reading about the opportunities they have provided to local children over the years. I do hope we can raise funds for their charity.”
As we go to print, donations to Brooker’s page total £4,013. To donate, visit shorturl.at/w12xL – meanwhile, Melin’s total stands at £1,705; go to shorturl.at/tAgpl to donate.
