A BALLOCH man has set off on an adventure around the distilleries of the West of Scotland in support of three rowers who are raising funds for his charity.

Jamie Spencer set up Balloch and Argyll based charity Feedback Madagascar in 1993 after visiting the African island to study the lemur population and resolving to help its people improve their lives and their environment.

And, to raise money for the charity to provide clean water for thousands of the poorest people on the African Island, three Scottish brothers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean, are rowing up the west coast, ‘pillaging’ whisky from distilleries in a ‘Whisky for Water’ campaign.

The challenge is part of their training for the 2019 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, the “world’s toughest row”, which will see the BROAR team navigate 40-foot waves, shark-infested waters and busy shipping lanes on the 3,000 mile crossing.

Jamie will be riding in the support boat throughout the 300-mile route up the Scottish coast, which will see the group visit distilleries which have agreed to donate whisky to the cause in places such as Arran, Islay, Jura, Oban, Mull and Skye.

Read more: Balloch man delighted after charity night raises £15,000 for Madagascar

The former Gartocharn pupil will also be organising pop-up parties at each stop, where the trio will play the accordion, pipes and guitar.

Jamie who splits his time between his home just outside Balloch and Madagascar told the Reporter: “I’ll be on the support boat and on occasions on land getting ahead. We are meeting all the distillery managers and representatives and we’ve got about 60 on board.

“One of our advisors from Madagascar is even flying over and he’ll join us at Tayinloan and get a boat out to the support boat. It’s turned out to be quite an adventure.

“I’m looking forward to getting to Port Ellen because it’s always good craic there, so I can’t wait for that as the Islay folk know how to enjoy themselves. The next event at Crinan will be a special get together too because my wife Julia is from there originally.”

The donated whisky will be blended by a team of experts, led by the brothers’ father, whisky writer and star of The Angels’ Share, Charles Maclean.

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This unique and limited edition, the “BROAR Blend”, will be sold to fund life-saving fresh water boreholes, delivered by Feedback Madagascar, whose good work has previously been highlighted by Sir David Attenborough in a documentary.