Canoe the Wye challenge raises nearly £5,200 for The ELY Memorial Fund
On 7 June 2026, a team of supporters took to the River Wye for a memorable day of canoeing, teamwork and reflection, raising nearly £5,200 including Gift Aid for The ELY Memorial Fund.
The Canoe the Wye & Symonds Yat Rock Challenge brought together friends, colleagues and supporters of ELY for a fundraising challenge with a very important purpose: helping us provide essential support to families who have tragically lost a son or daughter aged between 17 and 25 in a road traffic collision.
The day combined the challenge of navigating the River Wye by canoe with the climb and challenge of Symonds Yat Rock, creating an experience that tested the team both physically and mentally, while giving everyone plenty of opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Herefordshire and Wye Valley landscape.
Taking part were Colita Dainton, Traci Jenkins, Greg Smith, James Broad, Molly Lewin, Tom Gibson, Anna Klekotko, Kamil Klekotko, Ange Tyler, Steve Tyler, Amanda Dallow and William Dallow.
Photo credit: Nigel Wood and Anna Klekotko
Their efforts, together with the generosity of friends, colleagues, businesses and the wider ELY community, have helped raise nearly £5,200 so far.
Every pound raised will help ELY continue its work supporting bereaved families, including contributing towards funeral costs at a time when families are facing unimaginable circumstances.
Capturing a day to remember
The challenge was also captured on film by Adam Hanslow-Smith from Dandelion Video Production, who kindly created a video for ELY to capture the spirit of the day.
The film provides a wonderful reminder of what the team achieved and the people behind the fundraising, bringing together the scenery, the challenge and the moments shared along the way.
We are incredibly grateful to Adam for giving his time and expertise to create something that will allow us to look back on the day for years to come.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible
A special thank you goes to Mark Stancer of Your Adventure Challenge for his support, kindness and hard work in preparing and delivering the challenge to help ELY raise these essential funds.
We would also like to thank every person and business who donated, supported the team or helped make the challenge possible.
For Ange Tyler, ELY Charity Manager, the day will remain particularly memorable.
“A moment of reflection that will be with me for a long time.”
The Canoe the Wye challenge was about much more than completing a physical challenge. It was about coming together in memory of young lives lost, supporting families when they need it most, and helping ELY continue to provide practical and compassionate support in the aftermath of devastating road traffic collisions.
Thank you to everyone who took part, donated and supported the challenge. Together, you have helped raise nearly £5,200 for The ELY Memorial Fund and the families we support.