On Saturday 13th September at Sainburys Store Oswestry Shropshire boys from the Oswestry Rugby Club Under 11’s rowed 26 miles 385 yards (42195 metres) in aid of the Child Victims of Crime Charity and their own fund in conjunction with West Mercia Police Local Policing Unit.

PC 561 Pete Franklin a Local Police Officer from Shrewsbury who is also the coach of the boys at the rugby club suggested the idea to the boys at a training session at the Park Hall Club. Didn’t take long for the boys to take up the challenge and even though 12 boys took part the whole group would have been at the event if it had been possible.

The aim was to raise as much money as they could for the cause and to also set a time that other teams of the same age could try to beat The boys set a target time of 4 hours and rowed home in an impressive 3hrs 56min 9 secs. We believe this to be the fastest time by a group of 12 boys under the age of 11 to complete this distance.

At the end of the row they had raised £342 split between the Charity and their fund, so a very creditable £174:50p for the CVOC.

Local press and radio were interested by the teams efforts and were on hand on the day to record the event for posterity.

The boys were running from the rowing machine to the collectors box whilst not engaged on the rower so had a very busy few hours but all was worthwhile when Bradley Bennett rowed the boys home after the gruelling 42195 meters.

The event was linked to a West Mercia Police Tackle Safety Scheme which promotes child safety in the community through the medium of Tag Rugby which is being promoted this term throughout Shropshire.

The boys who all come from the Junior Schools in the area of Oswestry were back in action the next day for another training session at the rugby club.

Thanks should be given to the support of Sainsburys Supermarket Manager Peter Briggs for supplying the team with refreshments and allowing the event to be staged there and to the Concept 2 indoor Rowing Company for supplying the team with commemorative tee shirts after they had finished the row.The boys are now keen to compete in the British Indoor Rowing Champs in Birmingham later on in October and challenge some of the young boys from rowing clubs around Britain.

The event has already attracted interest from the Oswestry Boys Club and Oswestry Olympians who have challenged the rugby boys to a half hour challenge at the Oswestry Community Sports Event to be held in October.