The last time I rowed was in 1987. That’s me rowing at ‘bow’, aged 14 when we won the Head of the River Race at the Putney Town Regatta.

Last year, my friend, Julian Evans, asked me if I wanted to join his team of 4 to row the Atlantic in December 2025/26. We would be three Everest summiteers and an ex-England Rugby player… How could I say no to this once in a life time opportunity and what better way to raise funds for ‘Cure Parkinson’s’…

When my friend told me he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's, aged 55, I was shocked.We went for a walk and I told him that I was going to raise money for Parkinson's by attempting to row across the Atlantic with three friends, in the Talisker World's Toughest Row. I wanted to try and help as much as I could. There is no cure for Parkinson's yet. We need to find a cure and Cure Parkinson's are aiming for that. The team at CP are celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year.

Aprat from the physical training, there is a lot of admin to do. We need to complete at least 120 hours on the water in our boat before we even get to the start. We need to complete various mandatory first aid courses, VHF Radio and safety, navigation courses too. We need to do courses on how to fix our water maker in case it breaks down, electrical courses too. We need to know our boat intimately!

We have named our team, 'Seas Life' just becasue it is so important to Seize Life with both hands and to take every opportunity offered to us in this life. We have been lent the boat by the Military and the boat itself is called 'Shaka Sisi'. The boat came second in last year's (24/25) race so we have a lot to live up to!

I shall be posting here, on Facebook and on Linkedin so please do feel free to connect with me.

My aim is to raise £50,000. I am aiming high but this is better than aiming low!! Thank you for your interest and support.

A bit more about Cure Parkinson's:

Cure Parkinson's are here for the cure. Cure Parkinson’s is working with urgency to find new treatments to slow, stop and reverse Parkinson’s.Their funding and innovation has redefined the field of Parkinson’s research, enabling the world’s leading researchers to prioritise the next generation of drugs for clinical trial. Together we will conquer Parkinson’s.

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that causes movement problems, mental health issues, and more. It's the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

Symptoms

Shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination

Painful muscle contractions

Difficulty speaking

Mental and behavioral changes

Sleep problems

Depression

Memory difficulties

Fatigue

Risk factors

Age: Most people with Parkinson's first develop the disease after age 60

Family history: People with a family history of the disease have a higher risk

Exposure to air pollution, pesticides, and solvents.

Exposure to certain toxins, such as MPTP or manganese.

Treatment

There is no cure yet for Parkinson's, but therapies and medicines can reduce symptoms .