Young Farmers Clubs are renowned nationally
for fundraising thousands of pounds for charity each year, and 2016 was no
different for Silsoe Young Farmers Club. In August 2016 four novice kayakers, Andrew
Redman and Tom Harwood from Silsoe Young Farmers, and Jake Clarkson and Thomas
Potter from Woburn Young Farmers, kayaked to Kings Lynn from Bedford Town
Centre. All in the name of charity.
The challenge was in aid of Silsoe YFC’s
club charity, Voyage Care Bedford. The Care Home is a brand new, purpose built service where
care and support are given to six individuals with learning disabilities and
physical disabilities. They tailor each individual’s care plan to help with
communication, using a range of tools and systems. A resident of the care home has a close connection to
Silsoe YFC, which gave the challenge a personal touch and the drive to raise
even more funds than the original £1000 target.
The
challenge took three long days of paddling, which started along Bedford’s
embankment and followed the course of the River Great Ouse, all the way to
Kings Lynn at the mouth of the North Sea. From Bedford the river meanders
eighty miles, with varying currents, head winds and fourteen locks. The team
packed tents, food and personal kit into four kayaks and optimistically set of
at 8am Friday 12th August.
With the
sun beating down on day one, the team knew they had their work cut out. With
ten locks successfully negotiated around on the first day, they set up camp
near Houghton Mill. Day two proved to be the most productive, paddling 37 miles
and conquering ‘ten mile bank’ east of Ely. This long straight was the biggest
mental challenge of the journey, as there was no break in the horizon other
than water.
The team
were blown away by the support throughout the journey from friends, family and
the locals they met on the river along the way. Thanks goes to The Ship pub at
Brandon’s Creek for kindly letting the team camp in their pub garden. The team
were met with more generosity from the West Norfolk Rowing Club on Sunday
morning at the Denver Sluice. After a
quick pit stop at their clubhouse, there was only ten miles left until they
finally reached Kings Lynn. The crowds flocked to watch the boys paddle into
Kings Lynn at 1.30pm.
Silsoe YFC’s Andrew Redman said, “we are so
pleased to raise so much money for local cause, the challenge was hard work but
worth all the effort when we saw the final total raised”.
Silsoe Chairman Tom Harwood said, “it was
an incredibly rewarding challenge and it was great to see all the support at
the finish line. It has proved that a challenge like this is possible for
anyone, and very fulfilling in the process.”
The team were supported in the build up to
the challenge by Canoe Trail, as well as supplying all the necessary training
and equipment. Canoe Trail are a Bedford based company and can help you get on
the water in any form of paddle craft. Please do visit their website (www.canoetrail.co.uk) for more
information about their services.
Andrew, Tom, Jake and Thomas would like to
thank everyone who supported, donated and helped them along the way. It was a
great journey from start to finish and the team are so happy to raise over
£3000. Young Farmers is a great adventure, opening the doors to so many
opportunities, for more information about what we get up to please visit our
Facebook page, facebook.com/silsoeyoungfarmers.
