Brothers’ fund-raising canoe adventure raises thousands

Dodging discarded supermarket trolleys was just one of the challenges facing brothers George and Tom Bentham on their coast-to-coast canoe challenge.

The pair counted 23 shopping trolleys on their 195-mile paddle in memory of their late father Mark.

They had to carry their canoe twice around large sections of drained canal undergoing repair.

The brothers have raised £5,279 for East Cheshire Hospice from their nine-day adventure and a similar amount for Macmillan.

Both charities cared for Mark, from Broken Cross, who died of cancer in September 2019, aged 58.

The route went from near Lancaster to Preston, Manchester and into Yorkshire before ending under the Humber Bridge.

Tom said: “It wasn’t quite what we expected. We thought we’d suffer more from physical fatigue, but thankfully our training prepared us well.

“It was amazing to see how much the country changes. We saw kingfishers and counted herons, then through Manchester into Rochdale counted shopping trolleys.

“We paddled 10-12 hours a day, with our legs, knees, backs and shoulders taking the strain.

“It was an emotional journey, and we want to thank our great sponsors and everyone else who helped us along the way, raising and donating money.

“That includes those on the route who shared a story, or the change from their pockets.”

To donate visit their justgiving page here