For most of us, Christmas and New Year marks a time to celebrate with our family and friends and perhaps indulge in some festive foods. That said, the same might not be said this year for Team Wild Waves, whom My Pension Expert are proudly sponsoring in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.
As Jessica and Charlotte battle through this momentous challenge, we couldn’t help but wonder whether they were planning to mark the festive season with oceanic celebrations or maintain a ‘business-as-usual’ approach throughout the season and postpone celebrations until the end of the race.
Curiosity got the better of My Pension Expert, and luckily, the team were able to catch up with Wild Waves before they set off on their journey…
My Pension Expert (MPE): Do the team have any plans to make Christmas day special, such as packing some festive treats to enjoy?
Charlotte Harris (CH): We are allowed fun foods, but neither of us fancied a dehydrated Christmas meal, can’t say it appealed! So, we’ll be sticking to our usual food plan on the day itself.
Jessica Oliver (JO): The one thing we will be doing on both Christmas and New Year’s is making sure we put on the fancy dress we’ve brought! And of course, no festive fancy dress would be complete without a Christmas carol sing-along! We have a specific Christmas playlist with all the belters – we’re hoping that some of our fellow racemates will be keen to join in!
MPE: Are you having a belated Christmas when you get home?
CH: We haven’t discussed a belated Christmas, but it sounds like a good idea! After all, we don’t want to be missing out on all the family celebrations. That said, we do have Christmas presents for each other and some of the other ocean rowers as well as letters from parents and family. I think these will be sure to lift our spirits and make sure we still have a fantastic Christmas.
MPE: Do you think that the original intentions behind your fundraising efforts will resonate even more throughout the Christmas period as you continue your journey?
CH: Absolutely, for many people without homes, Christmas Day is just another day, and we think we can all take for granted having family and friends to visit and celebrate with. Especially as temperatures drop, the streets can be incredibly unkind in winter, and it really can be a terrible time for some.
JO: It’s also important to note that Domestic Abuse incidents do rise over the festive period, so I think raising money for Shelter and Women’s Aid and the importance of our cause will resonate even more with us over the Christmas Period.
My Pension Expert couldn’t be prouder of Charlotte and Jessica and their outstanding fundraising efforts. You can still donate to their brilliant charitable causes via the Wild Waves website here.