Rod Adlington, skipper of the Brightsides crew which is rowing across the Atlantic next year to raise money for Get A-Head and Meningitis Now, reflects on a fabulous day for the team at Coventry Rugby.
It’s been another fantastic week for the Brightsides team – this time largely off the water.
We spent a glorious day as guests of Coventry Rugby Club at their opening match of the season against Premiership legends Saracens.
Our Rannoch 45 Atlantic rowing boat Mrs Nelson turned more than a few heads as she sat alongside the touchline soaking up the beautiful sunshine.
We invited families and children to come on board and take photographs – and see for themselves exactly what conditions will be like on Mrs Nelson as we undertake the Atlantic Dash from Lanzarote to Antigua in the new year.
There was plenty of interest in our challenge during the day, with the glorious weather and festival atmosphere certainly helping.
We’re hoping to raise £250,000 for head and neck cancer and disease charity Get A-Head and Meningitis Now through our efforts, which will involve rowing over 3,000 miles during six weeks at sea and battling 40ft waves.
Tom Bromwich – chairman of trustees at Get A-Head and founding partner of Coventry commercial property specialist Bromwich Hardy which is one of our main sponsors – joined us for the day along with Get A-Head director Danni Heath.
The eminent Coventry chairman Jon Sharp came across and had a good chat and is keen for the partnership to continue through to the end of the row.
We also met with Coventry Cathedral custodians plus top brass from Coventry Round Table, also fellow adventurers having walked to both Poles.
And just when the day couldn’t get any better, Championship side Coventry managed to get the better of their Premiership rivals in a terrific match in the Premiership Cup.
Happy days indeed.