Row Britannia was an inclusive (adaptive sport) mental health, fitness and wellbeing challenge by The British Inspiration Trust (BRIT), for teams throughout the UK to raise vital funds and positive awareness.
Through an extraordinary collaboration of partner organisations, Row Britannia provided a UK-wide platform, campaign and event that brought together universities, colleges, education and sports governing bodies, British Sporting Icons and communities.
The fundraising element of the Row Britannia Challenge was designed for students to raise funds for Sport Relief and for university Vice Chancellors and College Principals to match student fundraising targets by encouraging local, regional and national corporations and businesses to donate to our partner mental health charities.
Pre-lockdown, over 100 institutions were taking part. As Sport Relief's Just Giving pages closed during lockdown, we have asked teams to donate whatever they raised to Sport Relief.
Our focus now is on supporting our partner mental health charities and combining the enthusiasm and overwhelming support of both students and their universities and colleges by delivering the BRIT 2021 Challenge.
IMPACT OF COVID-19
The COVID-19 lockdown measures led to all universities and colleges closing shortly after 13th March 2020 and therefore some students and staff teams were unable to complete their team Row Britannia Challenge or reach their fundraising targets for our charity partners.
During the pandemic crisis we have continued to engage with all our partners and their continued support has been overwhelming. Universities, colleges and their Students Unions have encouraged us to deliver another UK-wide mental health and fitness fundraising event. All our efforts are now focussed on delivering the BRIT 2021 Challenge.
THANK YOU
"On behalf of the British Inspiration Trust (BRIT), I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported the Row Britannia Challenge.
The abundance of energy, enthusiasm and kindness we received from universities, colleges and our partners was overwhelming and made the Row Britannia Challenge and the 5-month UK tour of universities and colleges a success. The participation of all the Student Unions who embraced the challenge and every student who took part was an amazing achievement.
We could not have delivered Row Britannia without the help of all our inspirational BRIT Ambassadors and the Charity, Education and Sport Partners who promoted and championed Row Britannia.
The extraordinary support we received, and the relationships we have built across the academic, sport and mental health communities, have given BRIT the confidence to deliver a BRIT 2021 Challenge in support of our partner mental health charities during February 2021. The BRIT 2,021mile Challenge will be even more inclusive (with many ways for students to add their miles to their team target) and remain flexible to account for any COVID-19 restrictions. This will ensure that students can take part safely at home or on campus, as part of their university or college team, and unite across the UK in support of young adult mental health."
Phil Packer
Founder and Non-Paid CEO
The British Inspiration Trust
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING
SPORT RELIEF
PLEASE CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT OUR
MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY PARTNERS
OUR AIMS
1
Support student mental health, fitness & wellbeing and fundraise for Sport Relief
At its core, Row Britannia was a team 2,020mile (3,251km) rowing challenge, to be completed between 12th November 2019 and 13th March 2020 for every university & college to enter a team and raise funds for Sport Relief.
2
Deliver inspiration & raise awareness from our BRIT Ambassadors
To deliver inspiration and raise awareness, we invited British Sporting Icons and Mental Health Ambassadors to join us as BRIT Ambassadors and visit university and college teams throughout the 5-month Row Britannia Challenge.
3
Secure funding from corporations, businesses and philanthropists for our mental health charity partners
Row Britannia invited Vice Chancellors and College Principals to encourage corporations, businesses and philanthropists to donate funds and further enable the extraordinary work of our mental health charities who deliver vital support to students & young adults.
Concurrently, the Row Britannia Team challenged every University Committee Chair, Vice-Chancellor and College Principal to work together and invite companies to pledge support and match their student fundraising targets in order to raise funds for our mental health charity partners.
In addition to raising vital funds, the positive awareness of mental health, fitness and wellbeing raised within their communities, and the UK, would be extraordinary.
Together we aspired to make a huge impact on the mental health and fitness of millions of young adults at UK universities and colleges.
A message from Students
