27/05/2026
On 17th March 2026, I decided I was going to attempt paddleboarding the entire Leeds to Liverpool Canal in memory of my dad ❤️
At the time, I was self taught, relatively inexperienced and had never wild camped before.
Less than 7 weeks later, on 04/05/2026, I set off from Leeds with a paddleboard, camping gear and what some would probably describe as misplaced confidence 😂 Having completed only around 31 miles of training beforehand, with my longest practice paddle being approximately 8 miles.
11 consecutive days later, after countless locks, low bridges, portages, over 60 hours on the water and more angry swan encounters than I’d like to remember, I arrived in Liverpool on 14/05/2026 having paddled approximately 127 miles.
The challenge was organised to raise awareness around cardiac arrest, heart disease and bereavement support in memory of my dad.
So far, thanks to the unbelievable support from colleagues, friends, family and the wider community, we’ve raised £3,740 plus £647 in Gift Aid for and ❤️
Thank you to everybody who donated, shared posts, sent messages of support or even drove nearly 2 hours just to walk alongside me for part of the journey, it genuinely meant more than you know.
The fundraising page will remain open until mid August if anybody would still like to donate or share: (Link in bio)
https://gvwhl.com/TZ1YM