This year I have set myself a challenge - I am going to swim the English Channel. 35km of non-stop swimming taking around 12 hours. Please help me to support Walking with the Wounded and raise as much money as possible for them to carry on helping the wounded soldiers who have sacrificed so much.

The Channel is classed as the ‘Mount Everest’ of swimming; in fact, more people have climbed Mount Everest than have swum the Channel. As far as I am aware, no female member of the Army has ever completed a solo crossing, so I hope to be the first. The temperature of the Channel ranges from 15-17°C and the swim will cover a distance of around 35km. I have calculated that the swim should take me around 12 hours, including the time necessary to take on food and water. This, in itself has strict rules which must be followed, such as handing them to the swimmer on a stick so as not to have physical contact between swimmer and support team.

My crossing will take place between the 5 and 14 September 2012, depending on the weather. During this period there is a neap tide (the difference between high and low tides is smaller than on a spring tide). I will attempt my crossing when my pilot, Eric Hartley, decides we have the best chance, depending on the weather. The swim will be very well regulated; the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) requires swimmers attempting the crossing to have an authorised pilot on board the support boat which accompanies them as well as an observer to verify the swim. The rules are such that the swim must be completed wearing only a traditional swimming costume with nothing covering the arms or legs. Grease may be used to coat the body, but the jury is still out as how much this helps!

Thank you for all your help - I will keep you all updated with my training and how well I am preparing for the challenge!