Pictured are some of the rowers in Molesey Lock, where earlier in the summer, RALPHH had provided a grant towards the cost of purchase and installation of defibrillation equipment.
London Olympics champion rower and former Kingston Grammar School student Sophie Hoskings MBE was on hand to greet some 100 rowers who had completed a 70 km one-day journey from Henley to Thames Ditton in support of the RALPHH charity.
The group encompassed all ages from 14-83 and started at 6.00a.m. at the boathouse of Henley Rowing Club. Covering 16 locks on the way, the first arrivals at the Kingston Grammar School Boathouse were at 5.30p.m. Combined sponsorship efforts will have raised over £16,000 for RALPHH, whose key purposes are to help avoid death and serious injuries to young people taking part in strenuous sporting activity.
The sponsored row received tremendous support from KGS staff members, former pupils and parents of students. Lock parties attempted to ensure as smooth a passage as possible for the athletes – many of whom finished with blisters.
Key to the fund-raising efforts was the leadership of KGS Head of Rowing, Ed Green and the work of the Sherriff Club, whose membership includes past pupils as well as parents of current students.
“We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who worked so tirelessly to make this such a special occasion and to raise such a considerable sum,” said Richard Allen, Chairman of Surbiton-based RALPHH. “This money will be used to help fund more testing of young people before they embark on exerting physical sports as well as the installation of further defibrillators in locations across England and Wales that attract young sports people.”