And finally… row, row, row your boat

The Olympics, as usual, showcased plenty of Yorkshire sporting prowess, but this might top it: Yorkshireman Tom Waddington has completed a 2,300-mile solo row across the North Atlantic Ocean for mental health charity Mind.

Supported by primary sponsors Tritax Big Box REIT and Everlast Gyms, the  target for the trip from Quidi Vidi in Canada to Penzance in the UK was £50,000, a target surpassed, with £60,000 raised so far.

Waddington decided to fundraise for Mind after tragically losing his girlfriend Hatty in a car crash in 2020. His grief was further exacerbated by the Covid lockdowns and he turned to Mind for support.

Since pushing off from Canada on 5 July, his adventures have included being capsized three times, sleep exhaustion, sea sickness, and treacherous weather conditions with winds of over 40 knots.

Waddington said: “Having trained for the last three years, I’m elated to have reached the UK and to have raised awareness and funds for Mind who support so many people every day. Hatty was such a special person and I’m so pleased to have done this challenge in her memory.

Referencing the tragic death of Graham Thorpe this month, he continued: “Particularly with the Olympics and Paralympics taking place this summer, and in light of tragic recent events in the cricketing world, the importance of promoting and maintaining positive mental health has never been more important. We need to keep talking about it as it really can save lives.”

Andrew Dickman of Tritax Symmetry – developer of Symmetry Park Doncaster – commented: “What Tom has achieved in reaching Penzance is quite simply incredible; the tenacity, determination, courage and honesty he has shown, all to raise awareness for MIND is inspiring and we are proud to have played a small role in helping Tom to complete his challenge.”