Row4Charity granted freedom of Bexhill

They are Ian Allen, brothers Nick and Phil McCorry, and Matt Hellier.

The event at the De La Warr Pavilion on Monday night was organised by Rother District Council in response to their efforts in winning the first ever Indian Ocean Rowing Race and committed fundraising for the Stroke Association.

The auditorium was packed with families, friends, supporters and members of the public who gave the victorious crew of the Bexhill Trust Challenger a standing ovation as they were introduced by RDC chief executive Derek Stevens.

The civic ceremony began with a tribute by the Lord Lieutenant of Sussex Peter Field who told them this was "a unique event" and "a moment never to be repeated".

Only ten people in the past have been granted Bexhill's highest honour and it is 40 years since the award was last bestowed - there has never been an occasion when four individuals received freedom of the borough at the same time.

The evening was also opportunity for the rowers to talk about their experience and give a deeper insight into the physical and mental demands of rowing across 3,500 miles.

The audience was then given the chance to ask questions and this session threw up nuggets of personal information - that Matt battled against depression and anxiety but the venture made him realise the importance of family, that Phil's worst moment was the frustration of knowing his loved ones had arrived in Mauritius but that he could not make the boat go any faster to be with them. There was the discovery that Ian struck unexpected gold by sharing his shift with Nick who turned out not to like chocolate with nuts, which meant Ian could have more, and that they both whiled away spare moments playing Battleships from a book called Everything A Boy Should Know.

The Freedom of Bexhill was granted to the crew by Town Mayor Councillor Bridget George to the team all of whom said they were "overwhelmed" and "humbled" by the recognition and the support they had received from the town.

On behalf of the team, Phil thanked the Bexhill Trust, led by Cllr Chris Starnes, for supporting the team and backing them with 10,000, as well as Rother District Council for organising the civic reception.

He then thanked Paul and Jackie Hamilton of the Waterfront for their fundraising activity, veteran ocean rower Geoff Allum for his advice and experience, Andy Bristow for the navigational expertise that helped them follow the winning line, and Geoff Dixon for his commitment as shore manager - the two latter were invited on stage and presented with remains of the troubled rudder that almost cost them the race at the finish.

Phil also expressed the team's gratitude to all the local businesses and individuals who paid to have names and logos on the boat and commented: "You were with us through every mile of the race, up and down every fifty foot wave, and you will be pleased to know 99 percent of the logos and names still remain today."

He concluded: "Records are made to be broken and eventually someone will break our 68 day record, but one thing that will never change is that the boat Bexhill Trust Challenger was the first ever four to cross the Indian Ocean - no-one can ever take that away from the Bexhill community, and the Bexhill name will always remain in ocean rowing history."