UK army veteran 'Major Mick' attempts to row 100 miles in homemade boat

He is doing two three-mile round trips every week until he completes his challenge

Last updated:
2 MIN READ
1/12
Chichester, England: An 80-year-old retired British army major is attempting to row 100 miles (161 km) in a boat he built from corrugated iron to raise money for a hospice, following the example of record-breaking fundraiser Captain Tom Moore.
Reuters
2/12
Michael Stanley, also known as Major Mick, said he built the vessel during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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3/12
"It was an idea I had in my mind when the lockdown came. I thought I'd buy two sheets of corrugated iron and hopefully make it float like a boat," he said in an interview.
Reuters
4/12
Stanley started rowing the boat, which he has named "Tintanic", along the Chichester canal in West Sussex, southern England, last month.
Reuters
5/12
"It goes extremely well, I've worked out it travels about two miles an hour," he said. "It glides through the water and generally speaking doesn't leak too much."
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6/12
He is doing two three-mile round trips every week until he completes his challenge, which is benefiting the local Saint Wilfrid's Hospice.
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7/12
Stanley, who served in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for 35 years, has already raised 12,000 pounds ($15,600), beating his original 1,000 pound target.
Reuters
8/12
His challenge emulates on water the feat of 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore, who raised a record 33 million pounds by walking 100 miles in his garden. Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his achievement in July.
Reuters
9/12
A passerby donates to 80-year old military veteran Michael Stanley.
Reuters
10/12
Major Mick rows his homemade boat along a canal as part of his fundraising challenge to raise funds for St Wilfrid's Hospice, in Chichester, Britain.
Reuters
11/12
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12/12
Reuters

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