Devon brothers kick-start charity campaign

They're attempting to sail their way to raising £150,000

Four brothers from Devon started their charity campaign with a flying start in Exeter on Saturday.

The Friend brothers rowed up the Exeter Ship Canal before mooring up alongside the Piazza Terracina at the quayside.

The brothers are made up of two sets of twins born 18-months apart. They were cheered by friends, family and curious bystanders who were keen to see the 28-foot boat that will travel 3,000 miles unassisted across the Atlantic.

The boys' grandmother, Elspeth (Eppy for short), was there to greet them when they arrived at the quayside. The boat has been named in her honour and she spoke of her pride in her grandsons before christening the boat in time-honoured fashion by breaking a specially made biodegradable bottle of bubbly on the side of the boat. 

The brothers – Euan, Jack, Hamish and Arthur – will be hoping to raise more than £150k for three charities by competing in the Talisker Atlantic Challenge in December 2022, setting off from the Canary Islands and finishing in Antigua after a voyage of discovery they hope to complete within 30 to 40 days.

Between now and then, the Friend brothers from Tiverton will be training hard for the mental and physical challenges that lie ahead. Working alongside them will be renowned ocean rowing coach Duncan Roy - a triple Guinness world record holder – who will show them how to row more efficiently, live on the boat and stay safe at sea. The lads will also be trained up by Gus Barton a fitness coach who will be taking charge of shaping everyone up into top-notch condition. 

From their base in Exmouth, they are about to become a familiar sight just off the south Devon coastline.