Round-Britain voyage to fund vital cancer research

BBC South East television presenter and reporter Rob Smith is planning to sail round the entire coast of mainland Britain this summer to raise £20,000 for leading UK blood cancer charity Leukemia Research.

Rob is intending to set sail on 12 June from the River Medway and circumnavigate Britain in “Wild Rover”, a Sadler 32 yacht. He bought Wild Rover four years ago, and so far his longest trip in her has been as far as Ipswich – so this will be a significant step up! Wild Rover is currently ashore being made ready for the new season at Otterham Quay Boatyard in Kent, and should be back in the water in early April.

Rob decided to initiate this challenge after meeting an inspiring young woman called Jessie Whitmore from Swanley in Kent. Jessie was just 17 when she died in 2006, having battled acute myeloid leukaemia. Her diary over the last few months of her life is funny, intelligent, hopeful, and ultimately tragic. Her last written words were “I want to go home. I want my mum”.

Rob explained, “no one should have to go through what Jessie and her family endured. I know Leukaemia Research conducts vital research into finding cures for blood cancers and I just hope that if I can raise a bit of awareness and some hard cash for them with this voyage, then I can do something to help prevent other families losing loved ones to these terrible diseases.”

To sponsor Rob in his fundraising effort, please visit his online fundraising website at www.justgiving.com/sailroundbritain