Perfect partner for a lone rower (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Perfect partner for a lone rower

WATCHING record-breaking yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur return from her circumnavigation of the globe bought back powerful memories for Stuart Boreham.

Last year, on March 3, the Long Compton man who has cerebral palsy, became the first disabled person to row across an ocean when he completed a lone crossing from Tenerife to Barbados.

Over the year since his triumph the 30-year-old has enjoyed a charmed existence, culminating in his engagement to Cotswold journalist Alison Campbell.

The pair met when Alison turned up to interview Stuart. "It was very romantic," she said. "Although the circumstances were different we'd both been single for some time. I had no idea when I went to interview him just where it would lead; I've interviewed numerous people in my career and never been romantically struck.

"Usually it's strictly business but I was captivated by Stuart. He was not the mad eccentric I had expected him to be. He's brave, courageous and charming."

She added that the moment of Stuart's proposal itself represented a small triumph over his disability. "Despite having to walk with a stick he got down on one knee and proposed properly," she explained.

Stuart said it didn't take long to recognise his feelings for Alison. "I'm usually professional but guarded when it comes to dealing with the media.

"Ali's warmth and sense of humour made me feel at ease. From the moment I met her I felt relaxed and could be myself. I knew there was something special between us. I was beginning to think that most women could not see beyond the stick but Ali keeps telling me she forgets sometimes I'm disabled because I'm capable and independent. I have other big adventures coming up but our marriage is first on the list. I'm really excited about it."

The couple are due to tie the knot at the church of St Peter and St Paul in Long Compton on July 23 this year. "Long Compton is a special place for both of us," said Stuart. "My parents live there, so does Ali and it's where we first met."

As well as meeting his future wife, Stuart has enjoyed some other memorable moments over the past 12 months. Last summer, for example, he was chosen to be part of the team that carried the Olympic torch through London.

Before his Atlantic challenge, which raised £25,000 for Macmillan Cancer Relief, Stuart already had many other adventures under his belt. In 1996 he became the first person to travel by ride-on lawnmower from John O'Groats to Land's End to raise funds for The Time & Tide Trust, which promotes sporting opportunities for the disabled. He was also a member of the first disabled yacht crew to race round the world in the BT Global Challenge 1996-97.

Over the past few months he has been drawing on his remarkable experiences to become a motivational speaker, a role he uses to create a more positive image of disability in the workplace. "The message I convey is not just about my experience of rowing the Atlantic," he said. "It's about ability being within us all. Everybody in society is made differently and we all have something to offer. Having a diverse range of people is of benefit to any team."

For information about Stuart's adventures and his motivational speaking business, visit www.stuartboreham.co.uk.