A HARTFORD rowing instructor and adopter has decided to take part in the Boston Rowing Marathon to ‘give something back’ to Adoption Matters.

Graham Jump, who is the head of rowing at the Grange School in Hartord, adopted a five-year-old boy with his partner Kirsty through the award winning adoption charity and is now planning to raise funds for it in one rowing’s toughest challenges.

The rowing marathon, held on Sunday, September 20, will coincide with Graham’s 50th birthday and will see him race more than 52km with 50 others in quads and eights.

Graham said: “Five years ago, my partner Kirsty and I decided to look into adopting a child. After many months of soul searching and lots and lots of paperwork, we finally got the go-ahead to adopt and in October 2012 we welcomed our five-year-old little boy into our family.

"We cannot begin to tell you the joy that he has brought into our lives and to those close to us.

“This October 2015, which coincidentally is also National Adoption Week, we celebrate having him in our lives for three years and we felt it was the right time to put something back so others can be encouraged to either think about adopting or to help out children and parents who need some support.

"We were so impressed with Adoption Matters and have remained in contact with our social worker.

“Given my link to the sport of rowing and an impending ‘significant’ birthday, I decided to set a challenge of getting a team of 50 rowers and helpers to row the Boston Marathon which starts in Lincoln and concludes some 52km later in Boston.

"I already have a team of 50 who range in age from 16 to 49 with the vast majority having never rowed anything like this distance before.

“While raising funds will benefit Adoption Matters, spreading the word about adoption is just as important. It is without question the best thing Kirsty and I have ever done.”

Graham has already raised more than £650 of his £1,000 target. To support Graham’s fundraising event visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/bostonrowing2015