Grieving Harrogate family's Guinness World Record bid in memory of father who they lost to suicide
A grieving Harrogate family who tragically lost their husband and father to suicide say they have been “overwhelmed” by the sponsorship support they have received as they prepare for the world’s toughest row in their boat called Dolly Parton.
Robert Ash, from Harrogate, died by suicide in September 2023 leaving his wife Charlotte and their three grown-up children Camilla, James and Henry.
The Ash family – Charlotte, 62, Camilla, 36, James, 34, and Henry, 31, – are now set to embark on an epic Atlantic crossing, unsupported, despite having no rowing experience.
They are the world’s first complete family unit to take on this challenge together on their boat and will set a Guinness World Record if they complete it.
The family are raising funds for the charity Suicide&Co which, Henry Ash, said had been a “huge help” to the family in their darkest hours.
“Suicide&Co have been an utter lifeline for us, they have provided us with counselling after Dad died and given us a community in which we can grieve together," Henry said.
"The sad reality is their services are more in demand than ever in this country.”
The Ash family have already received £315,000 in sponsorship for their epic challenge, surpassing their initial target of £300,000 and have since raised their target to £500,000.
Charlotte said: “The support we have received has been overwhelming and we are eternally grateful.
"The money raised goes to such an important cause and it has validated our decision to undertake the epic challenge of rowing the Atlantic.
“But we don’t want to stop at £300,000.
"Our ultimate aim is to raise £500,000, the majority of which will go to Suicide&Co and the rest covering some of the costs of the expedition.”
The family will be setting off on their 3,000-mile unsupported row from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in December 2027 and expect the row to take about 45 days, depending on the weather.
The lead sponsor for the Ash Family Row is EFG Private Bank, a leading Swiss bank which provides comprehensive investment and credit solutions for private and institutional clients.
Meanwhile, the four Gold Sponsors are UK property consultancy Carter Jonas, the David Riddell Memorial CIO, the cyber security specialist Brigantia and elite sports performance group, Pure Sports Medicine.
Charlotte said: “All our Gold and Bronze sponsorship packages have gone but we still have three £15,000 Silver Sponsorship packages available.
"This package includes company branding on the hull of our boat, our website and on our team kit, together with promotion on all our social media channels with links to the company website, invitations to fund-raising events and content creation.”
Leading UK law firm Pinsent Masons have also supported the Ash family and Suicide&Co.
Other generous corporate sponsors include: The Texel Group; DTRE; Steppes Travel; AMT; Simpsons of York; TL Dallas; CMS; You’re Looking Well; the Future of Finance; and Thirdfort Ltd.
James Ash thanked all these sponsors saying: “We are deeply indebted to all our generous sponsors, who together have enabled us to take on the challenge of rowing the Atlantic in memory of our much-loved father and to raise money for Suicide&Co, who do such a brilliant job of raising awareness of mental health and of supporting bereaved families.”
To support them, visit: www.ashfamilyrow.com