Anthony Dutton Takes on 4-Day Rowing Challenge

On Friday 24th July, Anthony Dutton (Hl 88) and James Shone will set off on an extraordinary four-day rowing challenge along the River Thames in support of I Can & I Am. Together, they will row 78 miles (125km), navigating 28 locks in a specially designed carbon-fibre coastal training boat.

Each day, they will be joined by an experienced rower, with Olympic medallist Matt Wells taking on the final stage as he helps bring James and Anthony into the world-famous Leander Club in Henley on Monday 27th July.

Speaking ahead of the challenge, Anthony said:

“I’ve worked for I Can & I Am for six years. Before joining the team, I owned a marquee business near Bath, where I loved seeing my employees grow in confidence and develop valuable workplace skills, often after facing really difficult experiences at home or school.

I was introduced to James through a mutual friend, and we instantly bonded over Liverpool Football Club, service station food and our shared passion for helping young people build self-belief.

Around that time, James wanted to expand the charity’s work by bringing its message to life through a double-decker bus. I soon became the ‘bus conductor’, and today we have three buses welcoming around 10,000 young people on board every year.

James has an incredible can-do attitude. Despite his blindness and other physical challenges, he thrives on taking on difficult adventures. Since I joined the charity, we’ve completed a fundraising challenge every year – sometimes with other team members and sometimes just the two of us. Highlights have included cycling from Bath to London, riding around the perimeter of Somerset and rowing across the Bristol Channel.

Last year’s Somerset cycle really pushed us both. Since then, we’ve had to acknowledge that our health has deteriorated, so rowing felt like a more realistic challenge. Training has certainly been interesting! We both live with fatigue – James has had four strokes and I’ve had one – so maintaining concentration isn’t always easy, particularly given that James is a keen chatter!

We’ve been lucky enough to have the full support of Bradford on Avon Rowing Club who have given their expertise and a boat, so we reckon we’re ready for the challenge ahead.”

After a successful 16-year teaching career, James Shone’s life changed drastically when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2012, leaving him with significant sight loss and reduced mobility. Undeterred, he founded I Can & I Am in 2015 to help young people build self-belief and resilience. Anthony Dutton, the charity’s Operations Manager, has also experienced a stroke in recent years, and together they are determined to show that limitations do not define what we can achieve. Today, I Can & I Am supports thousands of young people across the South West through inspirational talks, its fleet of workshop buses and sessions for businesses, helping people develop the confidence and resilience to spring forward from setbacks.

To find out more and support Anthony and James with this challenge, please visit: https://www.givengain.com/campaign/thameschallenge26 

Follow their challenge on Instagram @icanandiam or via their website.