THE IDLE duo aiming to row across the Atlantic have received extra backing in their efforts to raise funds for their chosen charities.

Chris Nicholl and James Tordoff are making their final preparations before they set off from La Gomera on Thursday.

The Hell Oar High Water team will then row west for 3,000-plus nautical miles to English Harbour in Antigua.

Once they leave the safety of La Gomera harbour they will be on their own, just the two of them in a rowing boat at the mercy of the elements having had no rowing experience before they decided to tackle what is said to be ‘the world’s toughest row’.

EnviroVent has pledged its support as one of the sponsors of the team in the Talisker Whisky Challenge.

Chris and James are aiming to raise £50,000 each for Centrepoint, the UK’s leading charity for homeless young people, the Bradford Hospital’s Charity (BHC) Neonatal Unit at the Bradford Royal Infirmary and the independent charity, Ben, which provides support for life for automotive people and their family dependents.

The company's product and marketing director Rebecca McLean met Chris at a business networking group and learned about the enormous challenge he and best friend James had set themselves. She said: “We are proud to be part of this unique experience – Chris and James really want to put Yorkshire firmly on the world stage.

"As a business we feel a strong synergy with the Hell Oar High Water team and the race itself, which is synonymous with our values of being ‘in it together’ and ‘making it happen’, so we were delighted to get involved and support Chris and James and their charities. We’re really proud to be one of the sponsors and wish the team every success as they embark on their epic challenge!”

Chris said: "It takes a certain kind of person to keep going when faced with blisters, salt rash, sharks and sleep deprivation, however Hell Oar High Water is not only our team name but also our mantra for the race.

"We’re delighted to have a local company like EnviroVent as one of our sponsors and would like to thank everyone there for all their support. We are hoping to raise as much money as possible for our three charities and urge everyone to help us to reach our target.”

Harrogate-based EnviroVent and its staff regularly get involved in community challenges and projects that support local people and charities. This includes the ‘In it together’ day held in the summer, where volunteers from the company were given a choice to work on any of 11 different local community projects.