Care home residents take up oars to support Scots brothers’ Pacific bid

Residents at an Edinburgh care home have taken up rowing sessions to show their support for three Scottish brothers aiming to become the fastest team to row across the Pacific.

Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean, who used to visit their grandmother at Chamberlain Care Home in Edinburgh, are on day 134 of their unsupported, non-stop journey from Peru to Australia to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar.

They are expected to complete their 9,000-mile crossing on Thursday.

It’s a small community here, but our hearts are very much out in the Pacific with the boys

Liliana Bahna, Chamberlain Care Home

As they close in on their destination, residents at the home are showing their support with physio-led rowing sessions in the lounge.

They are also due to hold a bake sale and concert on Thursday, when they hope to watch the brothers’ arrival in Cairns on a live stream.

Liliana Bahna, unit manager at Chamberlain Care Home, recalls the brothers coming to visit their grandmother when they were children.

“It’s a small community here, but our hearts are very much out in the Pacific with the boys.

“I knew them as children when they visited their grandmother, so seeing them now – taking on one of the toughest challenges in the world – is just extraordinary.

“Everyone here has been inspired by their courage, and we’re proud to be cheering them on.”

Sheila Burtles, 95, who has known the brothers for many years, has been leading support at the home.

Sheila Burtles (Jeff Holmes/PA)

A former sensory analyst in the whisky industry, Ms Burtles worked with the brothers’ father Charles Maclean, a renowned whisky expert.

She has been made custodian of the voyage’s log, which is written each day by one of the brothers and printed and delivered to her room, and she also plots their progress towards Australia on a map of the world’s largest ocean.

“I’ve known the boys for many years, so this adventure feels very close to my heart,” she said.

“To be entrusted with the ship’s log is a real honour. Each time I mark their progress on the map, I cannot believe the scale of the challenge.

“It’s inspiring to follow their journey, and I’m so proud to play even a small part in supporting them.”

People around the country have taken on a range of fundraising challenges to support the trio, including 24-hour rowing challenges, rows on the Firth of Forth, and schoolchildren running a mile a day.

The brothers’ uncle and cousin also raised £2,100 by rowing 25.2 miles down the Tay from Perth city centre to Wormit Boating Club in Dundee, and the brothers have raised more than £600,000 out of their £1 million target.

We’ve faced storms, exhaustion and days when the ocean feels endless – but hearing about Chamberlain Care Home rowing along with us makes all the difference

Jamie Maclean

Speaking from the boat, Jamie Maclean described the support from people back home as “humbling”.

“We’ve faced storms, exhaustion and days when the ocean feels endless – but hearing about Chamberlain Care Home rowing along with us makes all the difference,” the 31-year-old said.

“We have very fond memories of visiting our granny in the care home and meeting everyone who lived there.

“It’s humbling to know that people back home are putting their energy into supporting us. When things get tough, we picture them rowing in the lounge and it gives us a huge lift.

“The pictures they sent through made a very tough day much lighter.”

Although the brothers had originally set their sights on Sydney, harsh weather has forced them to alter course towards Cairns.

Despite the change of destination, the trio remain firmly on track to set a new world record for the fastest unsupported Pacific crossing by rowing boat.