Acorn Operations Manager rows and skis his way to a £5000 fundraising target
In memory of his father Owen, who died in July 2020 from a very aggressive form of bile duct cancer, 37-year-old Osian was determined to raise money for Cancer Research UK but in a different way, so by using a rowing machine and a Ski Erg (gym equipment which mimics the movements of Nordic skiing) he covered a distance of one million metres, or 621 miles.
Osian, who lives in Cardiff, completed the task in 31 consecutive days covering on average just over 32,000 metres per day, which took him around two and a half hours to complete.
By raising £5,700 he smashed his original fundraising goal of £3,500 in 34 days, raising around £1,500 more and completing the challenge three days earlier than planned.
Osian explained the reason he decided to take on this mammoth fitness fundraising challenge: “There was less than a month between my father starting to feel unwell and passing away, so it was a huge shock to the whole family. Dad was a former headteacher and founded and ran an outdoor education centre in Kent for 26 years, giving disadvantaged children from inner-city London a chance to experience and learn about the countryside. He then retired to his native Pembrokeshire in 2004 but passed away in July 2020 from this aggressive cancer.
Osian said: “I underestimated how tough it would be to cover 32,000 metres a day, and once I started, immediately regretted setting myself the challenge. However, I raised £1,000 in the first 24 hours so that motivated me to carry on! I am so grateful to all of those who supported me in memory of my father, including my wonderful Acorn colleagues who donated in droves.”
This is not Osian’s first successful fundraiser, as over the two years he’s been at Acorn he’s raised more than £11,000 for cancer charities, including a challenge in 2019 where he cycled 980 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats over nine days, in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support.
Director of Operations, Marc Jones said of the fundraising, “I am so proud of Osian’s achievement. He is a shining example to us all by raising money for such a fantastic cause at time when he is dealing with his own grief.
“We understand that in this difficult time, supporting and raising money for charity is more important than ever, with much needed research being able to continue and make a difference to so many people’s lives. Knowing Osian, this won’t be the last time we see him do some fantastic challenges to raise funds for charity and Acorn Recruitment will support him every mile of the way.”