Charity Work – Calum Barclay (L 89) rows Atlantic for Human Practice Foundation

Originally Published 28 Aug, 2020

In 2020, Calum Barclay (L 89) took part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2020, a 3000 mile rowing race across the Atlantic to raise money for the Human Practice Foundation (HPF), a charity he is involved with.

A world famous race like no other

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge was founded by Sir Chay Blyth in 1997 and is described as a rowing race like no other – starting in December and rowing 3000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua using muscle power alone. The rowers endure 30ft waves, 1,000 miles from shore in the dead of night, sore and blistered, hungry and suffering sleep deprivation – more people have climbed Everest than rowed an ocean!

Being self-sufficient on a 28-foot rowing boat for 35-40 days, continually rowing with a punishing shift pattern of 2-hours on 2-hours off, leads to extreme mental and physical exhaustion; teamwork is essential. The tough nature of the challenge means that it receives extremely high profile coverage from media and broadcasters all around the world.

Pitting themselves against some of the toughest conditions imaginable, the rowers are exposed to a phenomenal physical and mental challenge as they rely on their own strength, and that of their team-mates, to work together to deliver success. The work is unimaginable but the rewards are great – a transformational event for the rowers and delivering a huge impact for their nominated charities.

Making a huge impact

Calum’s team – Team HPF – was focused on helping the Human Practice Foundation to builds schools in Nepal. HPF helps students living in extreme poverty to achieve better life outcomes through education and personal development. As the charity says, its work builds the confidence of children and empowers them to believe in themselves and shape their destiny – an ethos very close indeed to that of Haileybury’s own.

Team HPF aimed to raise US $300k ($100 for every mile rowed) to build four schools in a very poor region of Nepal, which will help educate 1,380 children every year. As the team is self-funding the race costs, 100% of all funds raised will go towards these projects.

Finishing fourth after 37 days!

Calum reached Antigua and after 37 days’ solid rowing the team came 4th overall which is an incredible result! Congratulations to to Team HPF on this magnificent achievement.

About Calum

Calum Barclay was at Haileybury in Lawrence from 1989-94. He was originally part of a team competing in the 2019 race, although was unable to take part that year and so set about building a team for the 2020 race.

After serving in the British Army and a career in property investment, he is a Co-founder / Director of a care home business as well as a UK Trustee of Human Practice Foundation. He lives in Hampshire with his wife and three children.

Support Calum

Although the team achieved its aims, you can still support those of HPF itself.

HPF was set up in 2014 by Pernille Kruse Madsen, a former Lawyer with for A.P. Møller Mærsk. Pernille is very inspirational and has changed her own life to focus on helping achieve better life outcomes for children in extreme poverty. During her work in Nepal, Pernille witnessed the plight of Nepalese teenage girls and boys, many of whom leave home at an early age to seek work abroad.

Very often these young people find themselves in desperate situations, including brothels and garment factories in India where they are treated appallingly; more than a few never see home again as disease and maltreatment take it’s toll. On the back of this experience, Pernille set up HPF in 2014 and has so far built 62 schools in both Nepal and Kenya helping to educate 28,000 children. HPF have also created social impact projects which help to improve the local economy in these regions, in turn providing more employment opportunities for young people.

For more information about the Human Practice Foundation, please visit their website here

Images in this article courtesy of Calum’s website and stills from his video of the trip

See what other OHs are doing to support charities worldwide

Haileybury instils in all its pupils and alumni the notion of Spirit of Service. Many OHs support charities and charitable initiatives throughout their lives and encourage others to do so too. To find out more, click the button below.

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