A 75-year-old farmer from Kent has successfully rowed 76 kilometres across the English Channel, raising nearly £2,000 for a charity that promotes wellbeing through nature.
Martin Richmond-Coggan, co-founder of Green Farm in Shadoxhurst, undertook the challenge earlier this month as part of Oriel College, Oxford’s 700th anniversary celebrations. Setting off from Ramsgate, Martin and his crew reached the coast near Dunkirk after nine hours at sea in a traditional six-oared Cornish Gig.
The challenge was undertaken to raise funds for the Pearce Coggan Foundation, a charity based at Green Farm that supports individuals, families and communities through access to nature, wellbeing programmes and outdoor experiences.
A Team Effort
The team comprised nine rowers sharing six oars, who rotated throughout the journey. Each person spent around six hours rowing and completed approximately 9,000 strokes over the course of the crossing.
Reflecting on the experience, Martin said: “The row went really well, and we were lucky with reasonably calm conditions, but it was certainly harder than we expected. It was a great team effort and something I’m glad to have been part of.”
He added: “Taking this on at 75 was always going to be a challenge but doing it in support of the Pearce Coggan Foundation made it all the more worthwhile.”
Nature and Wellbeing
Green Farm is part of the wider Farm Stay UK network, which represents independently run farm stays across the country. For many of its members, including Green Farm, the connection between nature and wellbeing is central to what they offer.
David Brown, owner of Farm Stay UK, said: “It’s great to see one of our members take on something like this in support of such a meaningful cause. Green Farm is a brilliant example of how farms can create spaces that support wellbeing, and this challenge really reflects that ethos.”
Funds raised will go directly towards supporting the ongoing work of the Pearce Coggan Foundation. For more information or to support the fundraiser, visit the JustGiving page.
