GP starts preparations to row Atlantic Ocean

For Shropshire GP Jess Harvey, 2026 will be a little bit different, as she prepares to swap days in her Much Wenlock surgery for weeks on end at sea, rowing the Atlantic.

The 41 year-old doctor is part of a trio taking on the World's Toughest Row - from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, to Antigua, raising money for charity.

Now, around her job, Harvey will train both on the water and on land, as well as fundraising and finding sponsors to help fund the journey, which is due to start in early December.

"This time next year, hopefully we'll be around halfway," she told the BBC.

"The gravity of the situation is starting to hit home now, but then actually it's something to get really excited about as well, because it's going to be a hell of an adventure."

Alongside her will be Gary Fletcher, a 55 year-old builder who has been indoor rowing for many years, and 38 year-old Phil Evans, who has completed marathons, ultramarathons, obstacle courses and Ironman triathlons.

The trio, called WrekinOARsome, have already started preparing for the challenge.

"You have to do a number of hours, the hours have to be a certain amount overnight," she explained.

"We've already been down to Devon… [we] did our safety course, where we learnt how to use our radios and navigate… and do all the safety bits, which was an incredible experience and a massive learning thing for me.

"There will be lots of training on the water, and then also indoors just to strengthen ourselves up."

They are aiming to raise as much money as possible for their chosen charities - Severn Hospice, which provides care for people with incurable illness in Shropshire and Powys, and the British Heart Foundation.

"We really want to use this as an opportunity to raise as much as we can for the two charities that we're supporting... they both rely on charitable donations to function," said Harvey.

"The other thing is that we're trying to still seek partners to help in the form of sponsorships for us and the boat, to help fund the crossing."

Harvey has always been sporty - playing hockey as a teenager and during university, and getting into running towards the end of ger studies as well.

After having multiple corneal transplants, she began cycling, which led to competing in a triathlon. She has represented Great Britain in age group racing in duathlons and triathlons.

Harvey has also competed in world championships in Ironman and half-Ironman races.

She began rowing at an indoor club called Gym Mostyn in 2019.

She said the challenge had taken her out of her comfort zone, but encouraged people to do the same in their own lives.

"I didn't have a clue about rowing, and certainly didn't have a clue about how I was going to navigate my way across the Atlantic… if I've managed to learn how to do it... you can learn how to do anything," she said.

"You don't have to run a marathon, you don't have to row an ocean.

"That might be walking more around the house, doing some chair exercises, going to the swimming pool… going to an aqua aerobics class… trying a new sport, joining a group… I'd really really encourage anybody to just give it a go, because the hardest bit is just getting there."

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