Words by Smiley Team
In an inspirational journey crossing 3,000 miles of the North Atlantic, solo rower Frank Rothwell has raised over £1m for dementia charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, the most raised by any contestant for the charity.
The grandfather from Oldham set out on his epic voyage from La Gomera on 12th December 2020. He passed the finishing line in Antigua this weekend on 6th February 2021, just in time to see his wife of 50 years for Valentine’s Day.
Taking him just 56 days, his adventure makes Rothwell the oldest person to have successfully completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. The ocean rowing event is a race with purpose - an inspirational event, which draws out the wild spirit in everyday people to achieve extraordinary things. This year’s challenge saw rowers spend at least 30 days at sea and rowing relentlessly in two-hour shift patterns.
Speaking about his experience, Rothwell said: “Crossing the finish line was a completely euphoric moment, I’m still feeling elated about it now! And to be honest, I felt quite emotional approaching the finish. It took six long weeks to row the Atlantic, but the challenge itself has taken over 18 months of training and preparation, so I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved and the unbelievable journey I’ve been on.”
Frank decided to participate in the challenge to support Alzheimer’s Research UK, after witnessing the effect dementia had on his late brother-in-law, Roger.
“Rowing for the charity was my main motivation for crossing the finish line,” he said. “While rowing, I received heartbreaking messages from people who have had similar experiences to my own, with my brother-in-law, Roger, so I hope I’ve helped other families in some way too. I’d like to thank everyone who has reached into their pockets and donated, having the support from so many means the world to me. Thank you.”
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the leading charity researching into dementia and Alzheimer’s, diseases that cause memory loss in elderly people. They do this through awareness campaigns and research initiatives that allow carers and health workers to respond to developments in dementia research.
To conduct this vital work, they depend heavily on donations from the public and private companies. So fundraising efforts such as Rothwell’s rowing challenge provide an enormous credit boost. Setting out to raise £1 million, Rothwell has had great success with the support of Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation who promised to double the first £500,000 in donations.
Hilary Evans, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We’re incredibly moved by Frank’s determination to raise £1 million for dementia research. By taking on such a monumental challenge at 70 years old, he has helped to spread awareness and inspired people of all ages to take on their own challenges.
“To bring about life-changing treatments for dementia, fundraising efforts from ordinary people like Frank and his supporters provides a crucial lifeline to the progression of our research. We will always be thankful to Frank for doing so much to support Alzheimer’s Research UK during this time and we hope he enjoys a well-earned rest!”
If you’d like to donate you can do so via their website. Or maybe you’re inspired to complete a fundraising challenge for the charity, in which case there is an option to set up a donation based on sponsorship money on their donations page.
