A group of charity rowers taking on an ambitious challenge to circumnavigate Britain has welcomed an unexpected publicity boost after they were mistakenly identified as migrants by a UK politician. The team, known as ROW4MND, had already rowed almost 900 miles from Land’s End when MP Rupert Lowe posted a photo of their boat on social media and wrongly claimed it was a “migrant dinghy” approaching Great Yarmouth. Although he later corrected his post, the incident went viral, and donations surged by more than £30,000 — including £1,000 from Mr. Lowe himself.
The four-person crew — Aaron Kneebone, Liz Wardley, Mike Bates and Matt Parker — are taking on the first stage of a long-term plan to raise £57 million for research into motor neurone disease. Since setting off from Cornwall on 25 July, they have battled difficult weather conditions, sleep deprivation and physical strain. Storm Floris even forced them to restart the journey and take a different route through the English Channel.
Despite the setbacks, the team reached the Forth Bridge near Edinburgh on Friday, where they received a warm welcome from supporters, family members, and members of the MND community. Volunteers from Queensferry Rowing Club saluted them with raised oars, and many well-wishers applauded their determination and commitment to the cause.
Speaking after they reached Scotland, co-founder Matt Parker said the media attention sparked by the “migrant boat” mistake turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He explained that interest has now shifted towards their much bigger goal of raising £57 million to fight the disease, and more people are now learning about the serious impact MND has on families across the UK.
Crew member Mike Bates, a former Royal Marine and record-breaking ocean rower, said the challenge has already exceeded their expectations. He thanked Rupert Lowe for unintentionally helping to raise the profile of the row and said that further encouragement would be welcome when they begin the next leg next year.
Representatives from the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and the Leeds Hospitals Charity were all present in Scotland to show their support for the team. The rowers have already raised more than £135,000 and hope the continued attention will help them reach their ambitious fundraising target.
The journey around Britain is only the beginning. The team plans to complete the second half of the circumnavigation in 2026, followed by an ocean crossing from California to Hawaii in 2027 and another from New York to London in 2028 — all to continue supporting motor neurone disease research and awareness.