Directors of kitchen furniture, appliance and sink distributor Caple are set to take part in a five-day challenge, to row 85 miles along the length of the River Thames in aid of charity.

Managing director Danny Lay and service director Richard Wood, who has had to learn to swim to take part in the challenge, will be raising money for The Billie Elizabeth Wood Trust (BEWT).

The BEWT was founded in memory of Richard Wood’s daughter Bille Elizabeth Wood who passed away, aged 25, in May 2020 after she suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and has been created to fund research.

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Billie Wood was Caple’s managing director Danny Lay and financial director Graham Perry’s niece and the granddaughter of their chairman Maurice Lay.

The company directors will be joined by Billie’s family and friends in four vintage skiffs from Clifton Hampden (Clifton Lock) to Walton Bridge (Shepperton Lock).

Richard Wood has no rowing experience and he explained: “We will be on the water for a number of days and I was never taught to swim as a child so I’ve been learning how to master front crawl and breast stroke in weekly lessons with a fitness instructor. I just need to be able to get to the side of the Thames if I need to!”

BEWT is Caple’s official charity and the brand has supported several initiatives established by the Trust to raise both funds and awareness in memory of Billie.

Richard Wood stated: “Caple is a family business and, as such, the company is fully committed to supporting and promoting this charity as its cause.”

Donations can be made to support the event via a dedicated justgiving page.