Shropshire Atlantic rowers look set to beat target
Two Shropshire men rowing the Atlantic to raise more than £125,000 for charity have completed one-quarter of their journey after spending Christmas Day at sea.
Harry Martin-Dreyer and Alex Bland are now well into their near 3,000-mile journey between Gran Canaria and Barbados. By midday on Christmas Eve they had managed to cover 637 nautical miles of the 2,618-mile trip.
After leaving on December 12, it was expected the journey could take up to three months, but the pair are well on course to beat that target.
While they have been at sea, their fundraising total has been creeping up and has now reached £128,669. They are raising cash for two organisations – Cure Leukaemia, and JDRF, a type 1 diabetes research charity – and are hoping even more money will come in as they continue to undertake their trip.
The charities provided support to Harry's mother Alexandra, who died in March as a result of complications in her leukaemia treatment, and also help Alex's brother, Ross, who has type one diabetes.
Alex, who is originally from Cound, near Shrewsbury, and Harry, from Lyneal, near Ellesmere, first met at Shrewsbury School.
Follow their journey @rowing4research on Twitter or visit www.rowing4research.com
