Pirate Friends Gang Up For Island Adventure To Give Brain Tumours The Heave Ho

Charitable pirates will be storming the Isle of Wight to dig gold out of Islanders' pockets – to help fund the fight against brain tumours.

Ten Surrey friends will be touring the Island's inns and eateries on the weekend of October 21-22 dressed as pirates to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research, each one also donating to the cause. 

Steve Usher, a bus driver from Farnham-turned pirate captain, explained: 

“Ten years ago, one of our group was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He had to wear a post-op eyepatch as his vision was badly affected and became shy about going out.

"To get him over it, we press-ganged him to the Isle of Wight for a fancy dress pirate weekend, seafarer's logic leading us to believe he wouldn't stand out if we were all wearing eyepatches.

“Since then, we've returned every year in full pirate regalia and lots of people come out to see us.”

"We urge islanders to join in our unique blend of outdoor drinking and cussing and are happy to pose for pictures in return.”

The group’s adventure will see them set sail from Portsmouth and pass through Ryde and Shanklin, where they will indulge their love of golf on the 18-hole Pirate's Cove Crazy Golf, onto Newport, where they will stay overnight.

They will start their second day with a full breakfast at Wetherspoons, in Newport, before catching the bus to Godshill to raid the bars on the main street.

Cutlasses and daggers at the ready, they will then swing into the carvery at The Griffin and take the bus back to Ryde Wetherspoons ready to embark on a ferry to the mainland.

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.

Donations to Steve’s fundraiser can be made online.