A University of Worcester lecturer will take on a challenge which will see him kayak 310 miles throughout the month of July, as he raises funds for a local charity which supports people who live with neurological disorders.
Steve Ennis, Business lecturer and Managing Director of advisory service Business Doctors Worcestershire, will paddle ten miles a day on the River Avon as he completes the equivalent distance of rowing between Worcester and Paris to raise £2,000 Herefordshire charity Megan Baker House.
Steve said: “My plan is to row from Tewkesbury Rowing Club up to Strensham Lock and back again; in good weather I can do it in two and a half hours. If I do that every day in July, it’ll be 310 miles in total.”
“On windier days it’ll be more challenging,” he added. “If there’s a day where the weather is so bad that I can’t go out then I’ll have to double up on a weekend to make up the miles.”
Steve will be joined every day by a different member of the Worcestershire and Gloucestershire business community, who are helping with his fundraising.
He said: “I’ve signed up lots of different people to join me. Many of them are my clients or business associates, and I’ll really enjoy having the company and being able to spend time talking to them.”
It’s not the first time Steve has raised money in his kayak, after he was part of a team who last year tackled 38 miles of the River Severn to raise tens of thousands for local charity Headway. He has also previously raised thousands for Acorns Children’s Hospice.
“This year I’m raising money for Megan Baker House,” said Steve, who has long been a kayaker. “They support children and adults with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s and people who’ve had a stroke, providing specialist therapy to help them live more independent lives.”
He added: “What they do is fabulous, but they need hundreds of thousands of pounds each year just to keep their doors open. I really value their incredible mission to support people to live the best life they possibly can.”
Lee Gough, Development Director for Megan Baker House, said: “I was humbled by Steve’s generous idea of a kayaking challenge. As the idea unfolded, I knew he’d get plenty of support from his friends, but the response has been truly overwhelming, both for the challenge and the charity.”
Megan Baker House provides conductive education sessions for children and adults with neurological movement disorders.
“We receive no local or national government grants to fund our services so Steve’s fundraising challenge will help us greatly,” Lee continued. “His inspiring dedication directly helps individuals regain their independence, beautifully embodying the charity’s core mission to celebrate ability over disability.”
She added: “Thank you to Steve and all who are supporting him.”