Paul Walton, Knauf Drywall’s Business Systems Project Manager, has raised a total of £4000 for Demelza Hospice Care – an organisation that looks after over 600 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Kent, East Sussex and South East London.

Paul raised the money by tackling the gruelling trans-Atlantic charity yacht race, the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers).

Demelza – supported by Knauf Drywall as the company’s designated charity – supports children and young people up to 19 years of age not expected to reach adulthood, and offer support to their families. Children's hospices can differ significantly from adult hospices in that many of the conditions children and young people are suffering from are degenerative in nature and progress over many years.

This means that children's hospices have the opportunity to offer children, young people and families the chance to build memories as a family unit, undertake a range of activities that are age and needs specific that they may not ordinarily be able to access.

The boat Lancelot crossed the finishing line in St Lucia after setting sail from Gran Canaria 21 days earlier, covering a distance of 4000 miles. Paul, a novice sailor, had been asked to join the crew of eight sailing four hours on and four hours off 24/7, after taking part in a recent corporate sailing day. There were quite a few hairy moments along the way for Paul, including 40ft-high oncoming waves. Another day saw the sail in the water a total of three times and Paul clinging to the side of the yacht by just the side wire as the boat ran into a storm!