An East Huntspill man is undertaking a mammoth 290-mile challenge of paddle boarding from Bristol to London, and back, in order to raise funds for charities close to his heart.
Matt Jones, 23, and Iain Bell, 30, from Nailsea, are paddle boarding along the Kennet and Avon Canal, passing through 248 locks over 11 days.
The pair set off from Bristol last on June 10th and are paddling for 11 hours a day in order to accomplish their challenge, raising thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support and St Peter’s Hospice, in Bristol.
Iain and Matt, who are both outdoor activity instructors, are doing the fundraising challenge after Iain’s mother, Caroline, sadly passed away from cancer in April 2017.
Matt says: “Macmillan is a charity close to our hearts as so many of my family members have been touched by and lost to cancer and Macmillan has always been there supporting them and the family around them throughout. Even work colleagues have commented on how wonderful Macmillan have been to their family’s when I have been talking about our challenge.”
Iain added: “Mum was diagnosed with cancer of the vulva in Sept 2016. After an extensive fight she passed away in St Peter’s Hospice, after just 17 days of being admitted, in April 2017 where she received an incredible amount of care in her final days. It would be her 63rd birthday on the 20th June when we arrive back in Bristol so it will be an emotional day for many reasons.”
Click here for their fundraising pageÂ
