Volunteers row the length of Jersey to Sark in charity rowathon

Teams of rowers have rowed 30,000 metres - the distance from Jersey to Sark - to raise money for charity.

The Macmillan 2024 Rowathon got off to a roaring start on Saturday 7 April at the Radisson Blu in Jersey.

Rosemary Satchwell and Alison Smithurst, members of the Intrepid 232 team, who broke a world record earlier this year to become the oldest female crew to row any ocean, opened the event.

The challenge of rowing 30,000 metres on indoor machines was split between 20 teams.

For many the challenge was a personal one, Alex Ruddy whose son was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17 last year said the charity has been invaluable to her family.

She said: "It's really daunting when you are a young person. Macmillan talked him through the radiotherapy process they showed him what a mask would look like, they talked through how all that would go.

"They reassured me - they were just there when you needed them."

While the funds raised are still being counted, it's thought the event has raised well over £20,000, with teams committing to raising at least £1,000 each.

Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey's CEO Stephanie Gibaut said: "We are a locally funded charity which doesn't receive any funding from the Government or Macmillan UK, so we rely solely on public donation and on grant providers and corporate support."

"So, an event like today truly makes such a difference to our costs."

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