The Why

By attempting such a massive feat, David Chant and Sophie Witter wish to inspire people to take up their own expeditions, both small and large, and to encourage people to get out of their comfort zones. SUP It And Sea…Us Hike shows that “ordinary” people can go on extraordinary journeys.

During the cycle, we will also be re-treading places we paddled (such Dumfries and the Ayrshire coast), highlighting safety, and how to push your limits while decreasing the risks involved so that you too can go out and make adventure happen.

The journey will continue to raise over £24,000 for 3 inspirational charities. As individuals, Dave and Sophie have chosen a charity each to represent – RNLI and Wilderness Foundation respectively – and have jointly chosen a community charity Frontline Children.

Wilderness Foundation UK is a charity that provides access to therapy for Young Adults and Adults who have experienced grief, trauma, social isolation, anxiety and depression through nature immersion courses designed to help people get outdoors and find healthy coping mechanisms. To find out more about why Wilderness Foundation is close to Sophie’s heart, check out “Sophie’s Why” section below.

RNLI saves lives at sea. For 200 years, they’ve saved 143,000 lives through a 95% volunteer base operating from 238 stations around the UK and Ireland. They also deploy lifeguards to 240 beaches in the UK, keeping thousands of miles of coastline safe for everyone to go and enjoy our Island nation each and every year. To find out more about why RNLI appealed to Dave, check out “Dave’s Why” below.

Whilst the first two charities have been chosen individually by Dave and Sophie, they resonate with both of them due to their shared interests and they’re thrilled to represent them both.

Part of Dave and Sophie’s vision is to celebrate the value of community and connection, and one of the examples of this is the incredible support that they have received from fellow paddler Jordan Wylie and his charity Frontline Children. Frontline inspires hope through access to education for kids in some of the most remote and challenge areas on the planet, often in conflict and war zones. The charities motto – Be The Difference that Makes the Difference – resonates with their own voyage to create something that has a long lasting impact for these 3 worthwhile charities and the spirit they cultivate. That is why they’ve decided to make Frontline Children our community charity.