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| Step aside Olympic rowers: Huddersfield's Steve Brook is sculling for 322 miles | Step aside Olympic rowers: Huddersfield's Steve Brook is sculling for 322 miles |
| (8 months later) | |
| He's 66, has a penchant for pies and beer and – whisper it, so Sir Steve Redgrave doesn't hear – is even rumoured to enjoy a smoke. But Huddersfield's Stephen Brook is putting down his bus pass and picking up his oars, to take on a feat which makes every distance done at Eton Dorney look like a tiddler. | He's 66, has a penchant for pies and beer and – whisper it, so Sir Steve Redgrave doesn't hear – is even rumoured to enjoy a smoke. But Huddersfield's Stephen Brook is putting down his bus pass and picking up his oars, to take on a feat which makes every distance done at Eton Dorney look like a tiddler. |
| For the benefit of two charities that work with youngsters, Brook is about to propel himself in a rowing boat all the way from Aspley Marina, in the heart of his home town, to the Palace of Westminster. He sets off on Saturday. | For the benefit of two charities that work with youngsters, Brook is about to propel himself in a rowing boat all the way from Aspley Marina, in the heart of his home town, to the Palace of Westminster. He sets off on Saturday. |
| Huddersfield is just shy of 200 miles north of London, but because Brook has to chart his way along the meandering course of the canal network, the route clocks in at 322 miles. By way of contrast, over the Olympic fortnight, Team GB's golden rowing stars only had to power themselves over 2km – a mere 1.25 miles. Admittedly, their journey times tended to be a little shorter than the full six weeks which Brook is allowing himself to complete his trip. | Huddersfield is just shy of 200 miles north of London, but because Brook has to chart his way along the meandering course of the canal network, the route clocks in at 322 miles. By way of contrast, over the Olympic fortnight, Team GB's golden rowing stars only had to power themselves over 2km – a mere 1.25 miles. Admittedly, their journey times tended to be a little shorter than the full six weeks which Brook is allowing himself to complete his trip. |
| Brook, who recently retired after a career in the shelving business, tells me: | Brook, who recently retired after a career in the shelving business, tells me: |
| Coming up retirement, I needed things to do and I got into volunteering with a charity that worked on the canals locally – the Safe Anchor Trust. But I wanted to do something more. So, in a moment of madness, I mentioned to my fellow Trust volunteers that I might row to London – and guess what, they held me to it. In no time at all I'd picked up a rowing boat on eBay. | Coming up retirement, I needed things to do and I got into volunteering with a charity that worked on the canals locally – the Safe Anchor Trust. But I wanted to do something more. So, in a moment of madness, I mentioned to my fellow Trust volunteers that I might row to London – and guess what, they held me to it. In no time at all I'd picked up a rowing boat on eBay. |
Besides getting himself in shape, which involved six months in the gym, he has also had to acquire and equip his rowing vessel – the Swan – and get it shipshape. He even had to learn the craft of leathering his own oars. He is not operating as a one-man band, however – he hardly could, seeing at there are going to be 228 canal locks to get through along his way. | Besides getting himself in shape, which involved six months in the gym, he has also had to acquire and equip his rowing vessel – the Swan – and get it shipshape. He even had to learn the craft of leathering his own oars. He is not operating as a one-man band, however – he hardly could, seeing at there are going to be 228 canal locks to get through along his way. |
| A support barge will therefore be following close on his tail, staffed by volunteers who will crank the windlass, and open and close the giant gates to allow the water to glide through. Brook explains: | A support barge will therefore be following close on his tail, staffed by volunteers who will crank the windlass, and open and close the giant gates to allow the water to glide through. Brook explains: |
| A deranged one-man mission it may be, but it could not happen without an army of helpers. I suddenly understand why the Olympians have to thank so many people. | A deranged one-man mission it may be, but it could not happen without an army of helpers. I suddenly understand why the Olympians have to thank so many people. |
The bureaucratic obstacles can be as great as the physical ones. Getting permission to take the Swan through the 3.5 mile Standedge tunnel alone – which he needs to pass through on day three – is only the first of many that are likely to pop up. Brook has enlisted the help of all his friends and neighbours, and is especially grateful to his colleagues at Safe Anchor for handling the various negotiations involved, as well as attending to all those hundreds of locks. | The bureaucratic obstacles can be as great as the physical ones. Getting permission to take the Swan through the 3.5 mile Standedge tunnel alone – which he needs to pass through on day three – is only the first of many that are likely to pop up. Brook has enlisted the help of all his friends and neighbours, and is especially grateful to his colleagues at Safe Anchor for handling the various negotiations involved, as well as attending to all those hundreds of locks. |
| Brook's two good causes are the Wooden Spoon, a children's charity which works with rugby clubs, and – especially appropriately – the Safe Anchor Trust itself, a small Yorkshire group dedicated to opening up the waterways to disadvantaged groups. It does this by providing free barge trips to youngsters with various problems, or others with health or mobility issues. | Brook's two good causes are the Wooden Spoon, a children's charity which works with rugby clubs, and – especially appropriately – the Safe Anchor Trust itself, a small Yorkshire group dedicated to opening up the waterways to disadvantaged groups. It does this by providing free barge trips to youngsters with various problems, or others with health or mobility issues. |
| A less glamorous version of swimming with dolphins, a restful hour or two on a slow-moving barge can work wonders for a troubled mind. For Brook, and his many helpers however, after he sets off this weekend there is likely to be no rest at all. | A less glamorous version of swimming with dolphins, a restful hour or two on a slow-moving barge can work wonders for a troubled mind. For Brook, and his many helpers however, after he sets off this weekend there is likely to be no rest at all. |
| He reckons he has raised around £5,000 in total so far, across various websites and off-line. But needless to say, the retired oarsman is keen for more donations, and you can make one here if you would like. You can also read Brook's personal blog, and keep up with his long journey south, here. For more information about Steven's journey south, or if you are interested in finding out how you could get involved involved with helping the Swan on its way, contact the Safe Anchor Trust via their website here. | He reckons he has raised around £5,000 in total so far, across various websites and off-line. But needless to say, the retired oarsman is keen for more donations, and you can make one here if you would like. You can also read Brook's personal blog, and keep up with his long journey south, here. For more information about Steven's journey south, or if you are interested in finding out how you could get involved involved with helping the Swan on its way, contact the Safe Anchor Trust via their website here. |
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