Grantham companies join forces to take on rowing challenge for charity

Two local companies joined forces to take part in an indoor rowing challenge last month.

Staff from Inspire+, an independent sports charity based in Grantham, had been preparing to row from Lincoln to Boston, when their operations manager Chris Graves suffered an accute stroke in May.

Rather than not going ahead with the rowing challenge, they decided to bring it indoors instead and used it as a way to raise money for The Stroke Association, as well as their own Inspire charity.

Chris, who returned to work fulltime a couple of weeks ago was overwhelmed by everyone’s efforts.

He said: “Once it got out that we were doing the challenge, Totemic financial services also got behind it, which was a massive help. As both companies are based at Totemic House on Caunt Road, we held it in the main reception. Inspire+ had a team of eight, rowing in pairs in 20 mile slots. Totemic had different people every 20 minutes, so we had lots of support. Everyone was watching from the sidelines which helped create a great atmosphere.”

After a gruelling three hours and 57 minutes, Chris took the Inspire+ team across the finishing line by tackling the last few strokes with the Totemic team narrowly taking the lead to finish in three hours 55 minutes.

He added: “We have managed to raise £600 which will go towards both Inspire and The Stroke Association.”

Chris hopes it will become an annual event.

He added; “It was a great effort from both teams, Everyone entered into the competitive spirit. The Inspire+ team gave it their all and we are extremely grateful to the Totemic team for entering into the challenge and competing against us.”

Inspire+ is a Grantham based sports charity set up in 2011 to serve local primary schools and secondary schools. For more information, visit www.inpsireplus.org.uk