A Ripon family have raised £350,000 for Suicide&Co after smashing their original fundraising target ahead of their Atlantic row in memory of husband and father Robert Ash.

Charlotte Ash and her three grown-up children, Henry, James and Camilla, have now increased their fundraising target to £500,000 as they prepare to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Ashes, from Grantley, will set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands in December 2027 on an unsupported crossing to English Harbour in Antigua.

The journey is expected to take around 50 days depending on weather conditions.

If they complete the challenge, they will become the first complete family ever to row an ocean together, earning a Guinness World Record.

But for the Ashes, the challenge has always been about much more than a record.

Henry Ash said: “Essentially, we're trying to raise money and awareness for a charity called Suicide&Co.

“I lost my dad in September 2023 to suicide, and Suicide&Co really helped in the aftermath of Dad's death in terms of counselling and bereavement services.

“So we're trying to raise as much money as we can for them, but also raise awareness around suicide bereavement and our campaign as a whole.”

The family originally set out to raise £300,000 for the charity and have now increased their target after the overwhelming response to their campaign.

“We've raised about £350,000 so far,” Henry said.

“We recently reached our original fundraising target of £300,000 and we've now increased it to £500,000. So we're looking to raise half a million pounds.”

The family’s 24-foot ocean rowing boat was also on display at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, where visitors had the chance to see the vessel that will become their home for almost two months and hear more about the challenge.

Henry said the event was an important opportunity to spread the message behind their campaign.

“We were kindly invited to showcase the boat,” he said.

“It’s all about raising awareness around our campaign, why we're doing it and trying to get our story out there and get exposure - mostly to Yorkshire here today, but also as part of the wider campaign.”

Despite having no previous rowing experience, the Ash family have thrown themselves into preparing for one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges.

They train on the water off Hartlepool during the summer months, while also spending time on rowing machines, strength training in the gym and preparing mentally for the demands of life at sea.

“We've never rowed before, so we're very new to it all,” Henry admitted.

“Our training window is basically between May and September because of the better weather and lower winds. If it's too windy, you basically can't go out.”

The family will have to cope with weeks away from land, rowing in shifts around the clock in a small boat in the middle of the Atlantic.

Henry said the mental challenge will be just as demanding as the physical one.

“There’s a huge mental challenge because you're out there by yourself,” he said.

“You don't see land and you don't see anyone else for possibly 50 days. You're by yourself in a 24-foot boat and there's no one else out there but you.

“You'll experience some pretty difficult and dark times, especially for the reasons we're doing it. So it's about building that resilience.”

The crew will survive on freeze-dried meals and high-calorie snacks, including chocolate and sweets, to fuel themselves during the crossing.

Henry said part of the preparation was learning to cope with the repetitive nature of rowing for hours each day.

“On the rowing machine, it’s about building stamina for boredom,” he said.

“You'll just be sitting there rowing for three hours on, three hours off, for 50 days.”

The idea for the challenge came from Henry, who had always wanted to row an ocean before deciding to make it a family mission following his father’s death.

He said: “I've always had an urge to do it. It's just been something I've always wanted to do and, after Dad died, I just thought there was no better time than now to row an ocean.

“I was actually going to do it by myself, and then I persuaded my brother, then my sister, and then eventually Mum to come on board.”

Although becoming world record holders would be a remarkable achievement, Henry says the campaign’s main purpose is to support Suicide&Co and encourage more open conversations around suicide.

“I've always said this isn't a beauty parade,” he said.

“It's not about flying flares in Antigua if we ever get there.

“It's about raising money and raising awareness for Suicide&Co, and making conversations about suicide more open and easier to have.”

The Ash family are now continuing their training and fundraising ahead of their Atlantic crossing in 2027, hoping to reach their £500,000 target while helping other families affected by suicide bereavement.

The Ash family are also welcoming support from local businesses, with sponsorship packages still available for companies who would like to be part of their Atlantic adventure.

Businesses can have their name featured on the boat and become part of the team helping the family raise £500,000 for Suicide&Co.

Anyone interested in supporting their journey is encouraged to get in touch through the Ash Family Row campaign website.