Round-island row raises more than £3k
ONE man rowing a children’s inflatable dinghy around Guernsey has raised more than £3,300 for Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Jonny Veron set off from Portelet at 4.45am yesterday and despite a bit of a battle against a stiff breeze along the south coast, he managed to complete the task in about 12 hours.
He undertook the challenge in memory of his son, Oliver Joel Veron, who was born on 16 April 2016 but after an undiagnosed footling breech birth, died a day later.
Mr Veron said he wanted it to be a challenge of which his son would be proud, and decided that he would do it in the sort of small dinghy youngsters might use.
‘It’s lightweight plastic, and he’s done it with the little plastic oars as well,’ said Mr Veron’s father, Chris, who was standing by with a couple of back-up dinghies on board the support boat in case the original was not up to the challenge.
Friends joined in kayaks to support Mr Veron along the way, with one sticking out the entire route, while on land another friend ran to keep up with him, even nipping down the steps at St Martin’s Point for a quick word as he rowed past.
Another was joining in from Belle Greve Bay while several took part down the west coast.
‘The conditions are as good as you’re going to get on an island like this,’ said Mr Veron senior. ‘You’ve got to get the wind and the tide right.’
To donate visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/Jonny-Veron.
