A FUND-RAISING adventure for eight friends has been given fresh impetus following a visit to their chosen charity.

Dan Mooney, Adam French, Andy Coleman, Jamie Green, Matt Coleman, Matt Boreham, Matt Whale and Philip Cole are attempting to kayak from Bristol to Bishop’s Stortford – 230 miles in just four days.

Named Brainwaves to Stortford, the challenge is all in aid of raising money for Brainwave, the Witham-based charity which helps children who have suffered a brain injury, have a genetic condition or developmental delay.

It is a cause close to the team’s heart because Matt Whale’s goddaughter Evie is a patient at the centre.

He said: “It was really good to look around the centre and meet the therapists.

“You don’t really get such a strong feeling until you go and see it.

“We were able to see the type of exercises the therapists have designed for the children, as well as see the new sensory room which is used to stimulate them mentally to help their development.

“It was definitely worthwhile to see the fantastic work they do.”

It costs the centre �3,500 to look after each child. With more than 130 based there, the team is hoping the �10,000 they aim to raise from the challenge will go a long way.

With the start of the journey just over a month away, the eight are well into their training.

Matt Whale said: “We are training four times a week plus we have bought our first kayak recently so we have been out on the water a lot.

“We would also like to thank the Chelmsford Canoe Club for helping us.”

He said the plan was to buy four new kayaks and equipment for the trip but to sell them at the end to help boost the total.

“We are confident we can do it,” he said. “Things are coming together and it looks as though we are going to have a lot of support along the route which will help us.”

Gerry Gould, Brainwaves’ south-east community manager, said: “It was a pleasure to meet the team. They are so kind-hearted to raise money for our charity.

“If it wasn’t for people like them the centre could not survive because we do not receive any statutory funding,” he said.