The physical activity sector event active-net has announced that Atlantic rower and mental health campaigner Kelda Wood is to be the after-dinner speaker at its two-day event in March 2019.

Wood is due to set off on a 3,000 mile solo row across the Atlantic in December 2018 as part of the Talisker Whisky Challenge, and active-net is encouraging its delegates to engage in her epic journey through following her progress and sharing her experiences. She will be at sea on her own for two to three months, rowing up to 16 hours a day and surviving on freeze-dried food and desalinated water as she burns up to 6,000 calories per day.

Kelda Wood is a former para-athlete who was a member of the GB Paracanoe squad. This followed her suffering a life-changing injury in 2002, which left her left ankle fused with arthritis. Subsequently she has founded the charity “Climbing Out”, which runs outdoor activity programmes aimed at rebuilding confidence and self-esteem in young people who have suffered life-changing injury, illness or trauma. Activities include climbing, gorge scrambling, kayaking, abseiling and raft building.

Wood hopes to raise £50,000 for the charity through her Row to Raise campaign, and she will dedicate every day during her Atlantic row to a different young person, sharing their stories and links to relevant charities and organisations.

Active-net is in its sixth year and will take place on 27-28 March in Nottingham, with one-to-one buyer supplier meetings and a programme of education and networking for the public sector.

David Monkhouse, director of Leisure-net, which organises the event, said: “It will be exciting for our delegates to follow and to track Kelda’s journey. We have donated the after dinner fee to the Row to Raise campaign, and in addition we’d like our delegates to nominate young people that have faced hardship and trauma, that Kelda can dedicate her journey to.”