This June, six friends will set out on an extraordinary adventure, taking on the full length of the River Severn in a unique multi-sport endurance challenge – all to raise vital funds for two local charities: North West Cancer Research and The Harry Johnson Trust.
The team; Allan Wilson, Darren Mitchelmore, Jim Arnold, Mike Watton, Simon Blackburn and Stewart Bedford, will begin their journey on Tuesday 4th June with a community send-off from The Quarry, Shrewsbury. From there, they will cycle 50 miles to the Source of the Severn car park. The following day they will be trekking to the river’s official source in the Cambrian Mountains before cycling on to Welshpool, where the real test begins.
For the next eight days, the group will kayak down the River Severn, negotiating rapids, weirs, low bridges and long stretches of open water. Their final destination will be Severn Beach, near Bristol, completing an ambitious journey tracing the UK’s longest river from source to sea.
Each member of the team has a personal connection to the two causes. For Simon Blackburn, who has lived near the Severn his whole life, the challenge offers a meaningful way to fundraise for North West Cancer Research, a charity that supported his best friend Tony, who is currently undergoing treatment for bowel cancer.
Mike Watton, recently retired from the NHS, is seizing the opportunity to give back to the community, saying: “I’d always planned to walk the Severn Path, but the idea of paddling it was even more exciting. It’s a physical test I’m both excited and a little apprehensive about – but the cause makes it more than worthwhile.”
For Darren Mitchelmore, the challenge was long in the making, originally planned before the pandemic. He said: “The idea was shelved, and I lost my way a bit. But when Stewart brought it up in conversation, the lightbulb lit up again. We’re doing this for two brilliant charities. Cancer is affecting more and more people – we lost someone recently just four weeks from diagnosis. That’s why raising funds is so important.”
Allan Wilson, who has a long-standing history with the River Severn, says this challenge is both a personal goal and a tribute to a friend currently undergoing complex cancer treatment: “I’ve walked parts of the Severn, I’ve kayaked stretches of it in my youth, but I’ve never completed it. Now I finally will, and I won’t have to do it again! More importantly, we’re raising money for critical research and support that makes a real difference.”
Stewart Bedford introduced the group to the Harry Jonson Trust – which provides support to Shropshire and Mid Wales children with cancer. He said: “I like a challenge. Did John O’Groats to Land's End in 2022 in aid of Harry Johnson Trust and in memory of my daughter’s friend, Jack, who died of leukaemia that year and who was supported through his treatment, along with his family, by the Charity, so its been important to me to include them in the challenge and show my appreciation for everything the Trust did.”
All funds raised will be evenly split between North West Cancer Research, the region’s leading cancer research charity, and The Harry Johnson Trust, a Shropshire-based charity supporting children and teenagers with cancer.
North West Cancer Research CEO, Alastair Richards, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Allan, Darren, Jim, Mike, Simon and Stewart for taking on such a monumental challenge in support of North West Cancer Research.
“We were thrilled to have members of the team fundraise for us last year, and to see them return with an even bigger mission is inspiring. Their commitment means more vital funds for lifesaving cancer research right here in the region, and we’ll be cheering them on every step, pedal and paddle of the way.”
The team is currently in training and preparing their gear for the journey. Supporters can follow their progress on social media and via a fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/page/thelongpaddle-nwcr
