Leeds agency, Yasper, is supporting a new charity rowing challenge, aiming to raise £57m in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.
ROW4MND brings together a crew of experienced rowers, who hold a number of ocean-rowing records to take on endurance challenges. They’ve started by rowing the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Thought up by former covert operations leader and British Atlantic solo record holder Mike Bates and businessman Matthew Parker they hope to raise £57m over the next 4 years. 57 specifically because of the shirt numbers worn by rugby legends Weir (5) and Burrow (7).
“The Yasper team immediately impressed us with their knowledge of the media landscape and ideas for how we could best secure coverage for this vitally important cause. Not only did they understand what we were about, but they had a high level of knowledge as to the technical nature of the challenge, the risks, and the difficultly of what we’re up against,” said Matthew Parker, crew member and co-founder of ROW4MND.
“ROW4MND is a show of strength and solidarity for the MND community and for everyone who refuses to give up hope.”
READ MORE – Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow dies
Yasper is working pro bono to secure publicity across broadcast, digital and print.
“I’ve personally seen how important it is to raise awareness and funding for the MND cause, through my trustee work for the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and through the charity’s connections to Rob and his former team mates. After being introduced to Mike and Matt by Jamie Jones-Buchanan, I knew this was a project I wanted our business to be involved with,” explained Julian Pearce, Director of Yasper.
“If we can support in donating our time and expertise to this cause, we’ll do everything in our power to help the team raise awareness of this awful illness, and vital funds to combat it.”
After the row between Land’s End and John O’Groats the team will do the reverse, before taking up international challenges in 2026.
