In early December 2013 I will be setting off in an ocean rowing boat from San Sebastian, La Gomera, a tiny island just off Tenerife, on a heading to Port St Charles, Barbados. An epic 3000 Mile Rowing race which should take between 35 and 45 days. As part of the Bolton Lads And Girls Club Atlantic Rowing team or more commonly known as the Bolton Atlantic Challenge.

The team makes up 4 members and 2 reserve rowers, all of whom work in and are highly involved in the local bolton business community and also the Local Charities in Bolton. Matt Tomkin (Myself)- Managing Director of Comms Consult, Mark Brocklehurst (Skipper) – Managing Director of Sharples Group, Nick Griffiths – FM at Bupa, Finn Christo and Colin Nulty – Both work for Appliances Online and Vinny Kelly – Ex Viking.

For the next 19 months I will be sharing my experiences and the people I meet with you on this exciting blog. All the training undertaken by us all, all the very complicated courses we have to gain qualifications in and all the interesting things that we go through until, through and after our epic race!

We have 2 races which I would like to share with you along this journey too! The first being rowing the race in the first place but the second is raising the money and awareness of the Junior Mentoring project of Bolton Lads and Girls Club. Please take a look at the website and learn more.

Why did I sign up?

I think in life there are moments you can’t let pass you by. When Brocky (Skipper) stood up at the BLGC breakfast I was at and asked all the business owners gathered round to help out as they were taking on this epic journey I suddenly realised this was one of those moments I couldn’t say no. The rest will be history!

The thought of being in the middle of the Atlantic ocean with nothing else but the ocean surrounding you sounds to me like a life changing experience. As the stars at night shine brighter than you have ever seen, rowing along and a whale pops up and sends a massive spray up next to your boat. These are the reasons I decided to do the challenge.

I also think the Bolton Lads and Girls Club provide such a valuable service to the young people of Bolton that it was never in doubt that I would want to help this unbelievable cause.