A GROUP of 80 employees have raised £13,000 after rowing along the River Severn as part of a charity challenge.
The team, from npower’s Worcester and Solihull offices, took to the water as part of a ‘Paddle down the Severn’ event to raise money for its charity partner of 12 years, Macmillan Cancer Support.
Starting at the Stourport Boat club and led by ten captains, the paddlers boarded their twin hulled bell boats and steered their way through the 20km course, along the country’s longest river and onto the finishing point at Worcester Rowing Club.
The paddlers exceeded their individual target of £50 by reaching £6,500 altogether, with the rest being match-funded by the company.
Leading her crew to victory in two hours and 50 minutes, team captain of the ‘Big Boats’ team, Sue Warman and senior analyst at npower’s Worcester site, said: “The challenge was a lot of hard work but great fun, with eight in a boat it was easy to keep each other motivated. Most of our team had sore arms but all the pain was worth it as we raised a fantastic amount.”
Worcester Rowing Club hosted the crew at the finishing point free of charge and continued the fund-raising efforts by taking the opportunity to join in with
Macmillan’s new fund-raising campaign, Summer Lights, with hundreds of fairy lights lighting the boathouse, celebrating the loved ones who ‘light up their lives’.
Crew member and commercial developer, Rebecca McClure of the ‘Usain Boat’ team, also based at Worcester, said: “I think the partnership npower have with Macmillan is really special and everyone is always so keen to help out and get involved in activities to raise vital funds for this great cause.
“I lost a friend, Jack, to cancer and I know how much he and his family appreciated the support from his Macmillan nurse. At every opportunity, I get involved in fundraising as I want to help make sure that support is there for other people and their families that may need it in the future.”
