Three brothers plan to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic later this year. They launched their boat on Loch Lomond as a trial. Lachlan, 21, Ewan, 27, and Jamie MacLean, 25, from Edinburgh, will take part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December, rowing from the Canary Islands to the West Indies. First they plan to row to the distilleries of Scotland’s west coast, collecting whisky to raise money for charity. From August 3-10 they’ll be rowing around the west coast, including Arran, Islay and Jura, Talisker etc, dad’s [Charlie] contacts in the whisky industry will come in handy, they are  all donating a couple of bottles or a case or two. At the end of the row Charlie will blend all of the whiskies together and they’ll sit in a cask, then auction the whole lot off and for charity. Well you can add our name to the list who will buy bottles!

Charlie is well known to us here and we wish the boys all the very best for their challenge. Charlie; “I’m very, very proud of them and terrified in equal measure, I’m almost losing sleep about it, but I think they are so positive and it’s been an incredible learning curve.” They have raised more than £50,000 to buy their rowboat with help from sponsors including the James Dyson Foundation, Nairn’s Oatcakes and Glasgow University. In total, the brothers hope to raise £250,000 for their chosen charities through the ocean crossing; Children 1st and Feedback Madagascar. The race is expected to last for more than a month and contestants expect to face 40 ft waves and the risk of capsizing.

SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY exist to prevent abuse and neglect, to protect children and keep them safe from harm. Together we can help children in Scotland live in safe, loving families and build strong communities. We help survivors of abuse, trauma and other adversity to recover and we work tirelessly to protect the rights of children in Scotland. https://www.children1st.org.uk

https://www.feedbackmadagascar.net Feedback Madagascar contributes to sustainable development goals by exploiting the many connections between primary needs and long-term conservation.

This only makes me even more proud of my surname; Paul McLean, Perth 2019