Support us as we attempt to row an ocean in the 2022 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
Every pound of the money we raise will go to the charity CALM, a leading UK movement against suicide. Chip in to help us reach our £250,000 target and open the conversation around men’s mental health.
These figures are frightening, and they show beyond doubt that men have difficultly dealing with mental health issues. And we’ve seen first-hand the negative impact that can have. We’re blokes ourselves, and we all have fathers, brothers, children, friends, teammates, or colleagues who, one day, may need support.
Our mission is to raise awareness of this increasing problem and help CALM in their life-saving work. Our epic – and frankly, daunting – Atlantic rowing challenge was the best way we knew to do it.
We’re four 30/40-something blokes who like to push themselves now and then. Three of us work in fitness, but none of us are endurance pros, and only one of us has rowing experience. For all of us, this is the biggest challenge we’ve ever faced (other than having kids).
Dan calls himself an enthusiastic endurance amateur and the (sometimes) steady head on an unsteady ship.
Dan grew up in Yorkshire and now lives in London. He’s married to Faye, and they have three boys, Seb, Tom and Thibs. He works as a Business Psychologist, helping people improve their leadership and performance at work. His interests are sports, politics and food. In his free time, Dan coaches the under 13s team at his local rugby club. His ideal afternoon is watching a match in the pub, followed by a meal at home and too much red wine.
JC is the admin and music playlist lead in the team. And because the row was his idea, he says he is ready to take the flack.
JC is Dan’s big brother. He’s married to Clara and has two boys, Eric and Jacob. His unconventional career path began in retail management. He then founded a gym concept, and now he runs a fitness business consultancy. Beyond work, it’s mainly about sport for JC. He’s chairman of his local football club, where he also coaches the U14 team. Another of JC’s passions is chilling out on his own, which he knows will be a struggle with three other lumps in a tiny boat.
Mike is taking part in the challenge to raise money for a fantastic cause and to show his daughters that anything is possible.
Mike lives in Cheltenham, where he grew up. He's married to Laura and has two daughters, Gracie, 16 and Raya, 6 and dog, Snoop - a nod to Mike’s love of rap music! He studied law at university but decided that a life in a shirt and tie wasn’t for him so retrained as a Personal Trainer and basketball coach. He now runs Real Life Fitness, a personal training gym in Cheltenham, where he and his team help people become fitter, healthier and happier.
Jack is an accomplished navigator, but think his ears' ability to catch Atlantic trade winds might be his biggest asset.
Jack roots are in Northamptonshire, where he lives with his girlfriend Jess, although his current and previous careers have given him the opportunity to travel all over the world. He has a love of adventure and particularly navigation, which he channels through his fitness and fundraising work, and is no stranger to endurance challenges but thinks that this will be his biggest one yet. He’s excited to put his body and minds to the test with this huge challenge!
Time until the 2022 race starts
The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is a 3,000-mile row from the Canary Islands to the West Indies. Every winter, up to 30 teams from around the world take on ‘The world’s toughest row’. In 2022, we’ll be joining them.
It’s something we’ve all talked about, joked about, and threatened to do many a time. But it also appealed because it’s a mental as well as a physical challenge. We’ll have to work as a team, communicate, be vulnerable, and support each other. With our chosen charity in mind, it felt like the most appropriate challenge for us.
We’re hoping to raise £250,000 for CALM (The Campaign Against Living Miserably) and their mission to take a stand against suicide.
At the heart of their brilliant efforts is the CALM helpline, which has been receiving a call every 66 seconds since lockdown.
Every £8 donated could pay for one of these invaluable calls, and who knows the positive impact that could have.
125 people take their lives each week and that’s not okay. CALM exists to change that – and we couldn’t do it without the support of incredible people like Strokes 4 Blokes. We’re constantly amazed by the lengths to which people will go to support CALM and raise awareness of our work, and we wish Strokes 4 Blokes all the very best for their incredible challenge.Simon Gunning, CALM’s CEO
CALM’s free, anonymous and confidential helpline and webchat are open every day, 5pm-midnight.
Call 0800 58 58 58 or go to the CALM website to access the webchat or find out more.
Help us reach our fundraising target of £250,000
From individuals to corporate sponsors, we’re appealing to anyone who believes in this important cause. Your generosity will help open the conversation around men’s mental health – too long a taboo subject.
The cost of the row itself will be entirely funded by us. Every pound donated will go directly to CALM. We may all be having a mid-life crisis, but we don’t expect you to pay for that.
Pick a donation from our suggested amounts or choose your own – every pound counts.
Thank you.