Devoted adopter goes the distance for Adoption Matters

Last Sunday 20 September, adopter Graham  (pictured above middle) took on the Boston Rowing Marathon along with 46 other rowers ranging in age from 16 to 49, to support award winning charity Adoption Matters.

Graham, who is the Head of Rowing at The Grange School in Hartford, and his partner Kirsty adopted a five year old boy through the charity and wanted to ‘give something back’ by raising funds in one of rowing’s toughest challenges with participants racing over the 52km course in quads and eights.

A truly fantastic day was had with 47 rowers including sixth form pupils, staff and local club rowers joined together to take on the challenge of rowing 31 miles from Lincoln to Boston along the River Witham.

Lovely conditions greeted the 8 crews and we were delighted to learn that one of the crews won their event and another broke a course record! Then, as a fitting finale to the day, the crews were treated to a fly past by a squadron of Spitfires.

Graham commented: “Five years ago, my partner Kirsty and I decided to look into adopting a child. After many months of soul searching and lots and lots of paperwork, we finally got the go-ahead to adopt and in October 2012 we welcomed our 5 year little boy into our family. We cannot begin to tell you the joy that he has brought into our lives and to those close to us.

This October 2015, which co-incidentally is also National Adoption Week, we celebrate having him in our lives for three years and we felt it was the right time to put something back so others can be encouraged to either think about adopting or to help out children and parents who need some support.

It was such an achievement for the 47 rowers who competed, many of them teenagers. We are all sore and blistered this week but it was truly worth it!”

Whilst raising funds will benefit Adoption Matters, spreading the word about adoption is just as important. It is without question the best thing Kirsty and I have ever done”!

Norman Goodwin CBE, Adoption Matters Chief Executive commented: “We were so impressed with the rowers and their amazing achievement. A very well done to all and thank you so much for raising awareness of the charity and adoption in general”.

Graham has smashed his £1,000 target with fundraising already at around £3,000. To visit Graham’s fundraising page click: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/bostonrowing2015