ROWERS inspired by Jerome K Jerome’s 1889 comic novel, Three Men In A Boat, are making waves for a charity close to their heart.
David Williams, Jonathan Davies and William Dockar-Drysdale will be rowing the 85 miles from Oxford to London for Shipston Home Nursing
The five-day journey will start at Donnington Bridge in Oxford on Monday May 18, and will finish at Walton-on-Thames.
Skipper William said: “Shipston Home Nursing provided fantastic support for my father in his last days and for that I will always be grateful.
“It’s great to have an opportunity to raise some money for this incredible organisation which totally relies on fundraising. The actual rowing bit, if I’m honest, is a long-held ambition inspired by reading Jerome K Jerome’s classic book, Three Men in A Boat, when I was a boy at a school where I think I spent more time on the Thames than I did in a classroom.”
The trio – who will be in full period boating wear – plan to camp on board using a canvas cover for shelter. At night. It will enable the three rowers to experience nature and river life up close as featured in Three Men in a Boat.
Shipston GP David Williams also values the work of the charity whose staff cared for his mother.
He said: “My mother died several years ago of cancer at home, where she wanted to be, with her family around her. In my eyes and mind it was as ‘good’ a death as possible and greatly helped with my grieving process.
“As a local GP, I often have the privilege of witnessing the amazing work of Shipston Home Nursing and I see how they enable people to have as good a quality of life in their final months, weeks and days as possible. I’m looking forward to rowing downstream from Oxford to London to raise money for a fantastic charity.”
Jonathan added accepting the challenge to row down the Thames in turn of the century boating gear in support of Shipston Home Nursing was not difficult.
“It will be worth every drop of sweat, every blister, every strained muscle to help our very own local hospice at home charity, who support so many people at the hardest time of their lives.
“And I’m comforted by our skipper’s meticulous planning – he’s promised a suitable watering hole round every bend of the river.”
The three-man crew is looking for anyone who would be interested in joining the boat for part of the journey, in return for a £100 donation.
Email William Dockar-Drysdale via Rebecca.mawle@shipstonhomenursing co.uk for more information.
Visit virginmoneygiving.com/fund/3meninaboat to donate.
