St Neots Rowing Club members have been doing their bit for Channel 5’s The Gadget Show recently.

The club was approached by a researcher asking if they could loan out two single sculls as part of a challenge.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Alex Gregory MBE took on presenter Georgie Barrat in a 500 metre race at Wyboston Lakes as part of their ‘Vs Olympics Special’ in which each of the four presenters use technology to take on an athlete or team whose sport would have ben represented at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A spokesman said: “With a flurry of activity at a week’s notice, and with strict hygiene and distancing protocols, two single sculls were provided for a succesful day’s filming in early June.

“The rowing club decided it would donate the £300 hire fee to SERV (Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers), a voluntary organisation delivery service for our local NHS hospitals.

“The club chose this charity because one of SERV’s volunteers has generously built an online booking system to enable our members to get back onto the wate ronce the coronavirus lockdown starts to life.”

Further donations can be made at servhertsbeds.squarespace.com to help with fuel costs in support of the delivery service.

The rowing challenge will be aired on Channel 5 at 7pm on Friday (July 24).

*St Neots Rowing Club was founded in 1865 and is affiliated with British Rowing (www.britishrowing.org), the sport’s governing body in England.

The club offers recreational and competitive rowing for members of all abilities and is situated on a beautiful four-kilometre stretch of the River Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire.

The club has four squads – juniors at beginner and elite levels and seniors for men and women.