One year on, Three Years On, and Dolly's Winter Break
Hi everyone!
Welcome to our second article in our blog series where we will bring you up to speed with everything that’s been going on since we launched Dolly into the North Sea for the first time back in May!
Where we are now
Dolly has now been taken out of the water for the winter. As a team we’ve completed 104 hours of on water training and also had Dolly wrapped and anti-fouled. Look at our socials to see her new outfit!
One of the biggest milestones this season was completing our first 36 hour row where we rowed from Hartlepool to Newcastle and back (and back again!). It was an 88km row and a huge moment for us. A drop in the ocean compared to what is coming, but gosh it was hard…
The North Sea has thrown some interesting conditions at us this season. On the good days the rows have been brilliant. On the harder ones they've been a very honest reminder that the Atlantic is going to test us in ways that are almost impossible to train for in coastal rowing conditions.
One of the highlights of the summer was taking Dolly to the Great Yorkshire Show in July. We spent four days talking to people about the row, the charity and Rob. Having the boat there made the whole thing feel very real to people who had only heard about it online or in the press.
Our aim now is to get everything lined up over the winter so that by the summer of 27 all of our fundraising and campaign events are well organised. We have some amazing events coming up next year - see below and get involved if you would like.
What we're working on through the winter
In the gym
We will be in the gym a lot! We've just done our fitness re-tests, which have shown us how far we've come physically since May. We're training at least five times a week, and it takes its toll, not to mention muscle growth!
The mental side
We're now starting to be supported on the psychology side of things too, which is a huge part of this row. We have such a purpose behind what we are doing and why we are doing it. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is hard, physically and mentally to row for 2 hours on and off for 50 days straight.
Nutrition
We've had a deep dive into our nutrition during training - the good news is that we are allowed to eat a lot to support this level of exercise! We've learned a few surprising things along the way, like the fact that you can actually have too much protein, and the effect alcohol has on your recovery. Anyway, no one wants to hear us preach on that…
We're also continuing to try out freeze-dried meals, testing different electrolyte drinks and working out what goes in our snack packs (key for keeping morale high!). Some are voting for dried fruit and nut, others are voting for snickers and sweets - take your guess there.
Our at-sea/on-erg playlist
Songs have been added to our playlist. From rock to classical, podcasts to books. This is where the Ash Family Row team members’ opinions differ (see recent Instagram post!). Any suggestions are very welcome!
Dolly
Dolly needs some repairs and we'll be making some cosmetic improvements too including putting on all the new stickers from our generous corporate sponsors. We still have sponsorship space available so please do get in touch if you're interested. There are also opportunities to sponsor the Row for Robert Ball in September 2027.
Getting the word out
We're doing as much outreach as we can and would love to get national coverage of our story. We've already been covered far and wide by Getty Images and Agence France Presse who managed to share our story in China, Kuwait, Namibia and more! If you have connections you think could help please do get in touch.
The worst bit of the campaign so far
Seasickness. There is nothing worse than feeling ill and with no escape. You cannot train for it either. It is just part of ocean rowing.
The best bit of the campaign so far
Being able to raise our fundraising target to £500,000 because of the generosity of so many of you. It has been absolutely overwhelming. Many people have told us they are still planning to donate and we and the charity are so very grateful for every contribution. Suicide&Co supports people navigating the particular grief that comes with losing someone to suicide. With each counselling session costing the charity around £30, the money we raise will go some way to ensuring that they can continue their vital work that we benefitted from so much after Rob died.
Some of the more memorable moments have come from people we'd never met. We had a tuna fisherman at Hartlepool Marina who donated after seeing our boat and learning about Suicide & Co. A man at the recent Elovade (Gold Sponsor) partner conference who asked if he could give Charlotte a hug because he felt our pain. Henry played padel against two strangers who he told the story to and they donated that evening. The young woman at RBC whose story could so easily have been her own. We have met some amazing people in this campaign so far and we know that it will continue.
One year on and three years on
Today on World Mental Health Day marks one year since we launched our Atlantic rowing campaign. There is little more to say than just how grateful we are to everyone who has helped us get where we are today. This has never been about us. It is to help those navigating one of the most complex grief journeys there is so from the family and the charity, thank you.
19th September 2026 marked three years since Rob died.
A counsellor who lost her husband to suicide once told us that she didn't start to feel anything like normal until three years had passed. At times we aren't sure what our "normal" is as the Ash Family Row campaign has consumed us in so many obscure ways. Learning to be without Rob is a complex process that keeps changing. We still miss him every day and we are learning to live alongside the grief, being grateful for the years we were able to share with him.
Whilst we have learned a lot and been truly humbled by the support we've received, this is not an easy journey. The row is a stark reminder of what we have lost.
The grief is very real. Henry visibly struggled over the anniversary weekend, and while he is proud of everything we've done in Rob's memory he wishes we had never found ourselves where we are. Social media can paint one picture but behind the scenes there is a very real and complex grief journey being navigated.
There are moments when we feel the world should stop for him. To remember him, to reflect on him, and to miss him. But life carries on and it is hard to think that the last time we saw him is getting further away. That distance makes us uncomfortable and sad, but it's unavoidable.
We are trying to turn our tragedy into something that can have a positive impact on others by raising awareness about suicide loss and the help available from the incredible charity we have chosen to support. Thank you for helping us do that.
Events
What we've been up to
Dinner in Yorkshire with Andrew Osborne who rowed the Atlantic solo
Richmond Half Marathon, run by our cousins in aid of Suicide&Co.
Quiz night at Ripon Tennis Centre
Quiz night at The Hawks Nest
The London Marathon
Tennis tournament at Magdalen Park Lawn Tennis Club
Gardening day in Yorkshire given by Dean Grant
Bridge finals day
Great Yorkshire Show
Supercar Sunday at Grantley Hall
Row a marathon on an erg at Saxon CrossFit, Norfolk
Bake sale at Pinsent Masons offices
Harrogate Harriers 10k fun run
Charity Fitness morning run by Sue Parkyn
Elovade Annual Conference
Alison's Stethoscope Secrets lunch in aid of Ash Family Row
Coming up
Please keep an eye on our website and socials for details of future events and how to sign up.
Event at Clays, Soho in February - stay tuned for more details.
Camilla has a friend who is running the Manchester Marathon in aid of Ash Family Row
A Bridge day held in Yorkshire
Rowing in the lobby (on an erg!) of Camilla’s work place, Salesforce Tower (110 Bishopsgate), during National Grief Awareness Week
Race evening, Ripon Race Course, Summer 2027
Alwoodley golf day in aid of Suicide&Co, Summer 2027
Bramham Horse Trials - Ash Family Row looking to have Dolly displayed on the cross country course!
Row for Robert Ball - September 2027, Hurlingham Club London. Please sign up on the website to register your interest.
