An experienced property professional from Bognor Regis is rowing from Manchester to Eastbourne in aid of Chestnut Tree House.
Ian Colban, branch manager at Leaders in the town, is undertaking the exhausting 286-mile journey on his rowing machine as part of Leaders’ Charity of the Year partnership with Together for Short Lives.
Having decided he wanted to make a significant contribution to help the firm meet its pledge to raise £25,000 nationally for the charity, which supports children and young people with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions, he settled upon the rowing challenge.
Mr Colban explained: “My running days have sadly long gone due to knee problems, so rowing seemed like the obvious choice.
“I decided to cover the distance between Manchester and Eastbourne after learning the 286 miles from the north-west to the East Sussex coast is the longest journey between any two of Leaders’ 90 branches.”
He has currently completed almost half of the 400,000-plus metres total, which he joked puts him in the unusual position of “rowing down the M1” as it stands.
“I do three to four sessions each week, mostly very early in the morning, and complete at least 10,000 metres each time. The aim is to leave myself with about 30,000 metres to complete in one final marathon session in the branch window in Bognor Regis, which will take place during Children’s Hospice Week between May 11th and 17th,” Mr Colban said.
“Every member of staff at Leaders has been encouraged to take part in fundraising initiatives and voluntary work. I set a personal goal of raising £500, and I am delighted to already be more than halfway towards achieving this.”
Leaders’ branches across the UK will be taking part in a special fundraising week during Children’s Hospice Week, with a variety of events, competitions and personal quests lined up to raise money for Together for Short Lives, which supports 53 children’s hospices across the UK, including Chestnut Tree House in Arundel, West Sussex.
Jane Wilkinson, Leaders’ regional director for Sussex, said: “We are very impressed with the challenge Ian has taken on and we wish him all the best in successfully completing it.
“When it comes to getting behind good causes, Leaders’ employees are second to none, and Ian is one of many across the company taking on personal challenges, fundraising or volunteering this year for Together for Short Lives and our local children’s hospices.
“With the unstinting commitment and effort of so many of our staff like Ian, we are confident we will reach - and hopefully exceed - our £25,000 target for this very worthy charity.”
Together for Short Lives is the leading charity for children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. It helps to ensure that every child and young person unlikely to reach adulthood and their family get the best possible care and support whenever and wherever they need it by raising money for the 53 children’s hospice services across the UK.
Each Leaders branch has been partnered with its nearest children’s hospice so staff can support seriously ill children and their families locally.
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