TWO of Basingstoke’s top fundraisers joined forces to raise cash and collect Easter eggs for a children’s hospice.
Dave Holby-Wolinski, known as Dave the Rower, and SpiderDad Mike Wilson took part in an overnight rowing challenge at a shopping centre in Reading at the weekend.
The duo, along with others, helped to break four world records and two British records for the 30 to 39-year-old age group on a static rowing machine.
The rowers raised £800, of which £600 will go to Naomi House Children’s Hospice, with the remainder going to Berkshire Women’s Aid.
Shoppers at the Broad Street Mall, where the challenge took place, also donated chocolate Easter eggs, 300 of which will go to Naomi House.
Dave told The Gazette: “It was great but it was really tiring.
“The best bit was Mike Wilson. He was amazing. He did quite a lot of the rowing in the Spider-Man outfit and the kids were enthralled by what he was doing.”
Dave, 34, from Bramley, became a regular figure in The Malls during his successful attempt to row around the world on a static rowing machine, raising thousands of pounds for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity.
Mike, from Beggarwood, Basingstoke, is raising money for Naomi House Children’s Hospice in Sutton Scotney, following the death of his five-year-old son Jayden on Christmas Eve last year.
He was labelled SpiderDad after he dressed as the superhero as a birthday surprise for his son, the video of which went viral online and has been watched by nine million people.
On Easter Sunday, Dave and his colleague Paul Smith will take on another British indoor rowing record at Highclere Castle, the setting for the ITV programme Downton Abbey.
The two men will dress as milkmaids while attempting the challenge, again to raise money for Naomi House.
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