A woman with Multiple Sclerosis is raising money for a Lincolnshire community project by rowing 100km from Boston Rowing Club to Lincoln and back.
Lucy Radley, who is from Teeside but is well known in Boston and with the local rowing club, will take on the challenge with the support of non-profit organisation London Youth Rowing (LYR), on Saturday, June 12.
The challenge will see Lucy, who was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) in 2006, attempt 12 hours of continuous rowing. She has previously done five Boston Rowing Marathons over the years and holds the women’s para-rowing record for it.
It is believed that nobody has ever done it there and back in a single scull before – a total of 100km – so the 44-year-old wanted to give it a go.
She will be accompanied by her friend – triple Olympic gold medalist Andrew Triggs Hodge – who is the Director of LYR and will cycle alongside her. He formed a friendship with her after Lucy participated in endurance events hosted by LYR back in 2016.
Lucy will be raising money for the Boston Rowing Community Programme to support young people at Haven High School. Money raised will help with funding a coach to run the programme for an academic year, as well as costs for equipment and resources – you can make a donation here.
Lucy (left) pictured with her friend Angie (right) at the end of the Boston Rowing Marathon in 2018.
The former long-distance lorry driver discovered her love for rowing after her diagnosis. She had hated sport at school and did her best to avoid it, but after her diagnosis of PPMS and finding out there’s no treatment she wanted to lose excess weight.
Within two years of her diagnosis she found it very difficult to walk and turned to rowing to help increase her mobility and slow down the onset of the physical symptoms of her condition. She got a new lease of life joining a local rowing club, and she was able to walk again as a result.
She went from a beginner’s class at her local rowing club ten years ago to have now become an ultra-marathon rower who trains six days a week.
Lucy turned to rowing to help increase her mobility and slow down the onset of the physical symptoms of her condition.
Lucy said: “I use rowing to keep me walking, but I don’t run my life around MS. Training for these events gives me a goal that is nothing to do with disease and disability, and hence keeps me motivated.
“My greatest achievement though, is that I am now 15 years post-PPMS diagnosis and, by training six days a week in the boat/on the erg (when forced) I’m still walking. Which I’m told I shouldn’t be by this stage. So, for me, that’s what matters, that’s what keeps me going, so that’ll do.”
https://t.co/VqrlMh7V0J Well on Saturday (12th)Lucy is going to attempt the Double Marathon Boston – Lincoln – Boston 62 miles. Starting at 0500 hrs. I will keep posting on her progress but please if you are able to cheer on in person or virtually it will be greatly appreciated.
— Boston Rowing Club (@BostonRowingUK) June 9, 2021
Andrew Triggs Hodge said: “Lucy is a force of nature; she is a passionate person who gives and gives. She mucks in where others fear to tread and it’s because of her and people like her the sport of rowing operates at all – it’s thankless hard work.
“However, her love for the sport and the challenges she takes on does not stop there: she is challenging herself to an incredible 100km row; in one go which will take around 12 hours of near continuous rowing. This feat is to be feared, and it will make any rowing Olympian quiver with dread.”
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Cllr Bob Bushell, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place at City of Lincoln Council said: “In Lincoln, we are very fortunate to have some incredible parks and green spaces, with Hartsholme Country Park being a much-loved spot for families and visitors.
“The park has been especially popular over the last two years during the Covid-19 pandemic, being a haven for residents to enjoy outdoor spaces close to their homes.
“I would urge anyone to help us crown this fabulous park as one of the UK’s favourites.”
Once voting has closed on 18 August, the one park with the highest number of votes in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Nothern Ireland will be shortlisted.
The overall winner of UK’s Favourite Parks 2022 will be revealed in late-August.
Works to make the A52 Somerby Hill roundabout larger, as part of the Grantham Southern Relief Road project, are now finished.
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “People in and around Grantham will be very happy to know that the A52 Somerby Hill roundabout is now fully back open without any traffic management.
“Over the past eleven months, the team has worked tirelessly to make the roundabout larger as part of the relief road project. Not only did this include fully rebuilding sections of the roundabout, but the team also installed new drainage, street lighting and kerbs here.
“Moving forward, the team will be installing four sets of bridge piers and preparing a planning amendment for the new River Witham/East Coast Main Line bridge. We’ll also be focusing on completing the section of new road to the east, between the new mid-route development and Somerby Hill roundabouts.
“I want to thank everyone for bearing with us while we upgraded the roundabout and for your patience moving forward as continue building your new Grantham Southern Relief Road.”
The Grantham Southern Relief Road project is being led by Lincolnshire County Council and supported by South Kesteven District Council, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Highways England, Department for Transport, Network Rail, Homes England and local businesses.