A record-breaking charity champion from Ayr is set to enact her version of the Proclaimers classic and row 500 miles over the next five weeks to raise funds for the NHS and the Brain Tumour Charity.

Ann Atkins, a retired police officer now based in Solihull, England, will attempt to log 20 miles a day, five days a week for the five weeks from May 9 to June 13 on her Concept 2 indoor rowing machine to reach her target.

The champion indoor rower, who holds a number of World and British records, had planned to walk the 500 miles from Birmingham Children’s Hospital to the island of Iona, as a fund raising thank you to the Brain Tumour Charity and to the NHS staff who have treated her daughter Iona ,18, who has been living with a brain tumour from the age of five.

Ann said: “Iona had her 18th birthday at the start of this year and we wanted

to celebrate her reaching that milestone by taking on this walking challenge from the hospital where she has had so much treatment to the place that shares her name.

“But with the COVID-19 lockdown in place that obviously isn’t possible. So I had to adapt the challenge to something I could do safely at home.”

With years of rowing experience and success under her belt, as well as organising the annual Row For It Challenge in aid of the Brain Tumour Charity since 2013, Ann decided that switching the challenge to her rowing machine was the obvious solution.

“This year’s Row For It also had to be cancelled due to the restrictions and it was planned for June 13 so it made sense to link the two challenges and call it Go For It (at home),” said Ann, a former British Indoor Rowing Champion who has helped raise more than £170,000 for the Brain Tumour Charity over the years.

“I’m starting my 500 mile journey on May 9 and I will aim to cover the 500 miles by June 13.

“It is quite daunting to row 20 miles every day but I am so lucky to have an amazing team of friends and family who have pledged their own challenges in support.”

Leading the support team is Ann’s mum and Iona’s grandmother Barbara who, at 82 years old, has pledged to cover 175 miles by walking laps of a park near her home in Ayr.

Also joining in the Go For It (at home) fund-raising effort are rowers, cyclists and fitness fans who are planning a variety of different events from marathon rows and

500 mile cycles to walking the height of Snowden up stairs.

More information is available on the Go for It (at home) Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/665819877542855/.

  ***************

Scotland is in lockdown. Shops are closing and newspaper sales are falling fast. We're not exaggerating when we say that the future of the Ayr Advertiser, and the vital local news service we've provided since 1803, is under threat.

Please consider supporting the Ayr Advertiser in whatever way you can – by paying just 90p for a copy of the paper, when you're shopping for essential supplies for yourself and others, or by subscribing to our e-edition here.

Thanks – and stay safe.