A SANDOWN man will complete a 95 kilometre circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight this weekend — in a kayak.
Tim Wiggins will set out tomorrow (Saturday). He expects to be paddling for 15 hours, raising awareness of the challenges faced by young children with cancer.
In November, Tim rekindled his passion for sea-kayaking and bought a 17ft sea kayak.
He said: "The feeling of re-acquaintance — of re-establishing long lost connections in the brain and body — made me view my paddles like rehabilitation of sorts, a chance to retrain and rejuvenate a lost part of my past life.
"That notion got me thinking about the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust."
The trust works with young cancer survivors aged between eight to 24 from across the UK.
It takes young cancer survivors on four-day sailing trips to embrace the freedom and escape offered by the open waves, and to give them the chance to meet others who understand what they have been through.
"I decided that if I was going to paddle for twelve to fifteen hours non-stop around the Island, I wanted to do it to raise awareness of how the water can calm and rejuvenate the mind," said Tim.
"The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust was the perfect partner to support, and so a plan was set to make the 'round the Island kayak' a fundraiser for its superb work."
Tim's challenge has been supported by a number of local businesses, including Spinlock, Daniells Harrison Chartered Surveyors, Rapanui Clothing, and OxWash.
Donations can be made at
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