Pedalo

A group of Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit Nurses from the Ailsa Hospital, Ayr led by Stewart Main and Derek Cobb have decided to take up the ultimate challenge…..to pedal a boat across the North Channel from Portpatrick in Scotland to Ireland

The "Pedalo Challenge" has been born. Over the past few months they made lots of phone calls and it became obvious that the idea was catching everyone’s imagination. South Ayrshire Council offered to sell a pedalo to the project for the princely sum of £1, others offered to help with fundraising and a gallant band of pedallers was signed up. Then, out of the mist rode a hero amongst men, Ronnie Holmes from Fairlie Quay Marina is building a purpose built vessel for the crew.

Then, by chance, Derek spotted a boat for sale on Ebay, perfect for their project, and ‘Paddy from Birkenhead’ entered the fray. When they explained what they intended doing, Paddy not only donated his boat for nothing but towed it halfway to Scotland to hand it over to Derek and Stewart. What magnificent generosity from Paddy. The boat is now at Fairlie Quay Marina where Ronnie and his team will convert it into a pedalo for the attempt which will take place in the summer of 2007. A target of £10,000 has been set to raise funds for CLIC Sargent. 

Log onto their website:   www.pedalochallenge.co.uk to check their progress