Why we're doing this
Rob Allen was a National Schools Rowing Champion in 2003; he was involved in international competition and was a Henley Regatta participant before becoming a coach at Kingston Grammar School. Although no longer directly active in rowing, he was still physically active. However, on 10th August 2018, Rob died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition.
In order to avoid other young people having the same catastrophic outcome, RALPHH was formed. The founding Trustees of RALPHH are those who knew Robert well and had considerable respect for his commitment to competitive sport.
News and Events
Message from our supporters:
John Truswell & Sean Kerns, co- owners of Nelo UK show their support for RALPHH:
Nelo Rowing UK are delighted to be involved with the RALPHH charity by making a single sculling boat available to place in a prize draw for 2020. We fully support the aims to raise funds to raise awareness of cardiac issues and help provide more defibrillators at sports clubs. More ECG screening and awareness of cardiac issues will also help many athletes of all ages. There are many facts published concerning arrhythmia's and heart conditions in the UK. Whilst sport is still a very positive factor in healthy living, more awareness and screening would be welcome by athletes, coaches and parents of junior athletes. Detection and diagnosis of many cardiac issues are often a chance event.
Nelo are better known for making kayaks and won 27 of the available 36 Olympic medals at the Rio Olympics. Nelo now make sculling boats and intend to make a full range of all rowing boat classes. The Nelo boats have had some notable success such as winning the Scullers head, being placed second at the Turin silver skiffs sculled by a Lightweight athlete finishing between the Sinkovic brothers in November 2019. Nelo also has a training camp location in Portugal, close to Porto with excellent facilities for rowing camps.
Claire Kay, owner at Five57 Sportsgear is delighted to join RALPHH
Five57 are delighted to be supporting RALPHH. We are a family run business providing custom kit to Clubs, Schools and Universities around the country. Our family has been engrossed in the rowing world at all levels for many years. The aims of RALPHH are something very close to our hearts; our son was 16 when, at a routine doctor’s appointment, it was discovered that he had an irregular heartbeat. This wasn’t news to him, he knew his heart did “funny things” but hadn’t thought to mention it to anyone else! He had always been sporty and was already rowing at a high level, he was keen for this not to get in the way. We started on a journey of tests and assessments to establish exactly what the issue was. Basically his heart rhythm misses every one in three/four beats. This was visually very clear to see on an ECG trace.
His diagnosis has not changed his love for rowing but is has made us more aware of the issues of heart health in young people and how important it is to look after your heart as well as your mind and body before, during and after sport. Having access to a defibrillator might save a life, knowing you have an athlete who is at risk might mean you never have to use it!