Timber firm supports oar-some rowers ahead of challenge
A timber firm have been oar-inspiring in their support of a team of rowers taking on the world's toughest race.
Engineered Timber Solutions (ETS) will be supporting their local Shropshire rowing team, the Wrekin Rowers as they take on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
The race starts on December 12 and the intrepid team of four will be rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua, which is 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.
Chris Williams, managing director of ETS, who manufacture roof trusses and floor joists, explains how the deal came about: “Stuart Richards from the Wrekin Rowers is a customer of ours. He runs SMR Builders along with his two brothers. The company has a fantastic local reputation for building very quickly without compromising quality. As soon I heard what they were taking on I knew we needed to support them.”
The Wrekin Rowers team comprises of Stuart and Gary Richards, Martin Skehan and Stuart Shepherd. They intend to raise £100,000, which will be split between two charities, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and Severn Hospice. The RNIB charity was chosen, as Stuart is visually impaired, although it has never stopped him taking on a challenge. The Severn Hospice was chosen for their exemplary care and was selected as family and friends of the rowers have been looked after there.
Stuart said: “We are pleased to have ETS support us on this big adventure. It is quite a daunting challenge but we are training hard and looking forward to it. To put it into perspective fewer people have rowed an ocean than have climbed Mt Everest.”
