A grieving Yorkshire family who tragically lost their husband and father to suicide have been overwhelmed by the sponsorship support they have received as they prepare to row the Atlantic.
Robert Ash, from Harrogate, died by suicide in September 2023 leaving his wife Charlotte and their three grown-up children Camilla, James and Henry.
The Ash family are embarking on this epic challenge despite having no rowing experience at all. And they are the world’s first complete family unit to take on this challenge together and will set a Guinness World Record if they complete it.
The family are raising funds for the charity Suicide&Co which has provided vital counselling for them following Robert’s death. They have already received £315,000 in sponsorship surpassing their initial target of £300,000 and have since raised their target to £500,000.
The family will be setting off on their 3,000-mile unsupported row from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in December 2027. They expect the row to take about 45 days depending on the weather.
Charlotte said:
The support we have received has been overwhelming and we are eternally grateful. The money raised goes to such an important cause and it has validated our decision to undertake the epic challenge of rowing the Atlantic.
But we don’t want to stop at £300,000. Our ultimate aim is to raise £500,000, the majority of which will go to Suicide&Co and the rest covering some of the costs of the expedition.
All our Gold and Bronze sponsorship packages have gone, but we still have three £15,000 Silver Sponsorship packages available for potential supporters. This package includes company branding on the hull of our boat, our website and on our team kit, together with promotion on all our social media channels with links to the company website, invitations to fund-raising events and content creation.
Amelia Wrighton, CEO and Co-founder of Suicide&Co said:
It has been a privilege to support the Ash Family on this project over the past few months.
Their courage in sharing their story and taking on this huge physical and mental challenge for Suicide&Co is immense, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their support.
