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Rowena's a real Soup-erwoman
A WOMAN will endure energy sapping conditions while competing in a 4,000-mile yacht race in aid of Peterborough Soup Kitchen.
A WOMAN will endure energy sapping conditions while competing in a 4,000-mile yacht race in aid of Peterborough Soup Kitchen.Rowena Homan (47), who also volunteers at the kitchen, hopes to collect 4,000 in donations before sailing from San Francisco to Jamaica between April 11 and May 16.
She will be taking part in one leg of the Clipper Round The World Challenge, which will see her join a crew of 23 amateur sailors and one professional skipper on a 68-foot yacht racing against nine other ships.
Rowena, who lives in Castor and works as a dermatologist, said: "It will be the biggest challenge of my life.
"I have sailed casually before but by comparison to this I've only been dabbling.
"This will be jumping in with both feet.
"I'm sure it will be very hard but it is a cause I believe very strongly in.
"I have volunteered at the Soup Kitchen for four years and we desperately need the funds to buy a new van."
While on board the ship her duties will include manning the helm, being sail repairer and acting as a medic.
She will also be expected to bake bread for the crew once every fortnight in the ship's small kitchen.
Rowena prepared for the trip with four intensive weeks of training sessions on the Solent at Falmouth Marine College, where she learnt how to work on and race a large boat.
She added: "All of the profits from the fundraiser will go towards a new van costing 18,000 and I think it is an extremely worthwhile cause.
"I can't believe we have so many homeless people here in Peterborough.
"It is hard to just sit back when that is happening so I want to do something to really help them."
Carlos Dominguez, who co-ordinates the Peterborough Soup Kitchen's fundraising, said: "We have never fundraised like this before.
"Normally we rely on lots of little events to keep money coming in, and that has helped us raise 6,000 for the new van since May.
"But we need big events like this as well if we are going to be able to afford it any time soon.
"Unless we get a new van we will not be able to continue giving out food because the upkeep of the current one is costing us hundreds of pounds."
Anyone who would like to donate should visit www.justgiving.com/rowena-homan.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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