On Faith and Sport - all proceeds support Diffusion – helping prisoners to read

Join British Olympic rower Debbie Flood on 11 July as she discusses her sporting career, her faith and her continuing support of young Christian athletes with Andy Frost.

On arrival at the London Rowing Club, overlooking the Thames, guests will enjoy drinks and canapés before Debbie speaks about her inspiring life and career. After the talk Debbie will mingle with guests.

Debbie, who is based in Henley, will be coming down the river to Putney to talk about her life and career. She is hoping to inspire everyone, but especially young athletes, with her story.
“I’m really excited about doing this event for SPCK,” says Debbie, “I love talking to people about the highs and lows of my journey through the world of rowing. I hope lots of young rowers and athletes will come to hear me speak so they can be encouraged on their own journeys to achieving the best they are capable of in any area of life.”

Come for a fantastic evening of conversation on all things sport and faith at the London Rowing Club. Included in the cost of your ticket is: a champagne reception, a delicious selection of canapes and a gift bag to take away worth £30. Alternatively send a cheque payable to SPCK for £15 per ticket to Richard Scott, SPCK, 36 Causton Street, London SW1P 4ST, being sure to include your contact details, or email rscott@spck.org.uk

Debbie Flood (now Bruwer) has had an extraordinary career representing Great Britain in the women's double and quadruple sculls. She won Bronze at the 1998 Junior World Championships in the Double Sculls and finished her career by competing at London 2012. Along the way, she won gold three times at the World Rowing Championships and picked up two silver medals at the Olympic games.

In 2012, she was elected captain of the Leander Club in Henley on Thames. She is the first woman to hold this role in over 200 years!

A spokesperson for SPCK said: "Debbie is a fantastic role model for young men and women who want to pursue a career in elite sport. She is also a huge inspiration to Christians, who seek to devote their lives to God above all else. She now works with Christians in Sport, mentoring young elite athletes".


Andy Frost

The event aims to raise funds in support of SPCK’s Diffusion Prison Fiction project. Through this scheme, SPCK has now distributed 10,000 specially-written books completely free to organisations that work with prisoners, young offenders and people at risk of offending. The books not only help prisoners improve their skills and employability, and therefore reduce their chances of reoffending, but they can really change their attitudes to reading and to their relationships with other people, as these quotes from prisoners testify:
‘The story helped me to reflect on my poor choices which got me back inside. It stoked a fried inside me to get out of prison and stay out.’ Prisoner, HMP Channings Wood.
‘Not such a Bargain is the first book I’ve read fully in over a decade. I really got into it surprisingly seeing as I haven’t managed to read a full book since primary school. Next, I would like to say thanks to you guys for providing this book to my prison… The book touched me in many different ways: [it] was very, very similar to my life and events in my life. It made me think about my own actions more and realise they were wrong, almost bought a tear to my eyes a couple of times, I would love it if you have any more books like this one or even not like this one for me to read.’ Prisoner, HMP Lewes

Debbie Flood’s talk takes place at the London Rowing Club, Putney Embankment, London SW15 1LB on Thursday 11 July from 7-10pm.

May 21, 2019