Rowing the Atlantic with the Brightsides

A team of four rowers who leave dry land on 3 January to take on a 3000-mile non-stop row across the Atlantic will do so with the support of Lodders as one of its main sponsors.

The Brightsides – Rod Adlington, Guy Minshull, Anna Williams, and Alex Perry – are taking part in the Atlantic Dash, which leaves Lanzarote on 3 January 2024 and finishes in Antigua.

The foursome is aiming to complete the row in around 50 days and raise £250,000 for Get A-Head – a cancer charity fighting head and neck diseases – and Meningitis Now, the UK’s leading meningitis charity.

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Lodders’ sponsorship of the team was officially launched at an event held at Draycote Water, Rugby on 20 October which brought together representatives from the sponsors, including fellow main sponsor Bromwich Hardy, the charities, and other supporters. Those in attendance enjoyed a tour and a trip on the boat as it took to the water for the very last time before being shipped to Lanzarote ahead of the row.

When The Brightsides begin their crossing in January, the team will row in two-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, taking more than 1.5 million oar strokes, and facing 40ft high waves in their 28-foot Rannoch R45 ocean rowing boat named Mrs Nelson.

The team is taking on the race in honour of Barney Adlington, who would have been 21 this year. The son of crew member Rod, Barney passed away from meningitis at the age of three within 24 hours of being diagnosed. The tragedy galvanised Rod to make fundraising for meningitis a central part of his life.

Commenting on Lodders’ sponsorship of the Brightsides, Paul Mourton, the firm’s managing partner and trustee of Get A-Head, says: “The entire Lodders team is delighted to be supporting the Brightsides in this ambitious endeavour in aid of two very important causes. I have been a trustee of Get A-Head for around eight years, providing legal expertise to the board to help shape the charity’s focus and community impact. We are thrilled that the rowing team has chosen to support the charity, alongside Meningitis Now, which plays a vital role in raising awareness of meningitis symptoms, investing in vital research, and providing support to those affected by the disease and their families. We are in awe of the team’s dedication and drive in taking on this physical and mental challenge and will be supporting them every step of the way.”

Rod Adlington, captain of the Brightsides crew, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge for me and the rest of the team and we are all very excited, if not a little nervous, about what lies ahead for us. We are incredibly grateful to Lodders and our other headline sponsor, Bromwich Hardy, for demonstrating their support to us. Having their backing means we are moving closer to our fundraising target of £250,000 for Meningitis Now and Get A-Head, which are two charities very close to our hearts.”

Tom Bromwich, chairman of the Get A-Head Charitable Trust, said: “We are hugely grateful to Lodders for supporting this epic challenge by The Brightsides crew which will help raise vital funds for Get A-Head and Meningitis Now. Our work to help people with head and neck disease is extremely important but we can only continue to fund vital equipment and research into the causes and treatment of head and neck conditions with this kind of continued support. We wish Rod and his crew the very best of luck for this incredible challenge.”

Leah Morgan, Fundraising Manager at Meningitis Now, said: “We’re so grateful to the team at Lodders for supporting the Brightsides on their incredible journey across the Atlantic. Every pound raised will make a huge difference to those who are at risk from meningitis and those whose lives have already been changed forever because of it. Huge thanks also go to Rod and the Brightsides team. Their ongoing energy and enthusiasm will make a big difference as we look to defeat meningitis in the UK within a generation.”

To support the Brightsides’ charity fundraising, donate here and find out more about the team here.