“I’M not just looking to do this for 2024, I’m looking at a legacy.” Weininger Irwin, the UK’s first champion of ITV’s iconic show Gladiators, is the founder of Cool Rowings, an adaptive sport and exercise which aims to increase diversity in Rowing.

Now a partner of Comic Relief, Irwin has previously raised funds by completing a 24-hour Rowathon in 2022 before he rowed the length of the Elizabeth Line in 2023 with the help of the Ageless Teenagers charity and local schools.

On March 8 Irwin will host two events in one day at the Copper Box Arena as part of a Red Nose fundraiser. In addition to the Cool Rowings Red Nose challenge, Junior Giscombe will be performing live as part of a record attempt at the largest Soul Line Dance in the UK.

Irwin sat down with The Voiceto speak more about the fundraiser and his journey so far.

MC: What is the story behind Cool Rowings?

When I look at international rowing in the UK, I just don’t see the diversity in the sport that I would like to see, and as a result I decided to do something about it.

I don’t want anyone that has the ability to lose out on an opportunity to achieve success in a what I consider to be a great sport.

In addition, I truly believe that a more diverse rowing team will produce some really great results.

Talk to me about the Red Nose fundraiser on March 8.

I am honoured that Cool Rowings will be putting on a fundraising event at the Copper Box Arena in London.

When I was nine years old, I attended a Primary School which was on the site of where the Copper Box Arena now sits, that is where I competed in my first primary school sports day, so this for me is a true full circle moment.

We have invited schools from across London and I’ve specifically targeted children between the ages of Reception and Year Two.

I’m not just looking to do this for 2024, I’m looking at a legacy. Whatever I do on Friday March 8 will become a legacy for London and beyond

The reason why I’ve targeted this age group is because the UK tends to target children from Year Three and up, and I think we’re missing a trick.

In the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, children from the age of five are competing at something called the National Athletics Championships, and when you look at the island and the sporting superstars that they produce, I truly believe that they are able to hold their own on the world stage because of this.

I want to give these kids the opportunity to go to a setting such as the Copper Box because I believe that it will have a lasting impression.

I’m not just looking to do this for 2024, I’m looking at a legacy. Whatever I do on Friday March 8 will become a legacy for London and beyond.

What is the motivation behind all of this?

At the start of 2020 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and I have since been given the all clear, but I still want to use my profile to raise awareness about prostate cancer, muscular sclerosis and finally, something which is really important, youth violence prevention.

Not only do I want to raise awareness, I want to do something viable in the community to demonstrate to those young people coming up that they’ve got somebody here that cares, somebody here that will listen.

Community is incredibly important for me, and I believe that we’ve all got to be beacons in our community, to help inspire the next generation.

I’ve always been a passionate and enthusiastic person, but that diagnosis in 2020 really drove it home and all I’m doing right now is just pushing forward and continuing to raise awareness and make a change.

Visit: https://coolrowings.com