Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Just before Christmas I decided I needed a new challenge - the twins and the business weren't keeping me busy enough(!?) So I decided to take part in the Great North Swim.  Having avoided swimming pools for 18 years I'm not exactly in the best shape - but I have 6 months to prepare and hopefully wont need dragging out of Lake Windemere.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

 

Thanks guys & girls xx

 

May 2010 Training update - On a alcohol fuelled night my lovely sister dragged members of the Alton Masters swim club over to 'chat' and force me to go training with them.  Unfortunately for Alison they also insisted she came too!  Maybe next year I'll persuede her to enter the Great North Swim?

 

June 2010 Training update - Really excited - have started open water training at Mychett and it's surprisingly fun.  So far the water has been relativley warm, the sky blue and no swans have attacked me yet. 

 

July 2010 Training update - only a month to go!  Even bought myself an underwater watch off ebay so I can time myself.  So far I have been able to swim the distance in 29mins; but that's without the mass start and other peoples arms and legs flying every where! 

 

Aug 2010 Training update - just completed a small open water event to get a feel for the big day.  Surprised myself and quite enjoyed it (apart from the start), may even get hooked.

 

Aug 2010 update - only a week to go, and have surpassed the £250 target by miles; thank you so much for your very generous donations.  Now I just cant get ill or injured in the next 7 days!  Looking foward to tomorrow's Bank holiday fun at 'Live on the Lawn' where I have a stall to raise the final amount to bring the new target up to £1000.  Hatty Cooper and friends are Face Painting to help raise money and Tallgirls have donated various items to sell in aid of the target.  Fingers crossed for good weather.

 

4 days to go!!!! With the help of the Tallgirls team, friends, family, Hatty and Imogen we managed to raise a further £388 at the Live on the Lawn event.   THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH.  We've reached the target.

 

The big day - Unfortunatley the day before we travelled I was informed that the event had been postponed due to an excess of algae in Lake Windermere which is a health hazard.  We travelled anyway for a holiday, but once we arrived my disappointment grew and grew.  Having raised so much money I felt I could not let anyone down and didn't know if the event would be rescheduled. Mum was up for the weekend and I knew had  I one chance to ask her to look after the twins as she was leaving at 3pm on Sunday.  At 1pm Gregg hired a row boat - and with a rough route described by a couple of last years participants we set off for a small beach.  At the beach I put on my wetsuit to keep the cold out and the algae off and set off on the 1 mile swim.  It was cold and choppy, but a fantastic experience (and I didn't suffer any ill effects from the algae).

 

We have since been informed that the event has been cancelled until next year.  Even though I was unable to take part in the official event I hope that you feel completing the mile unofficially was worth your generous donation.  I have also entered a 1 mile event on the 25th September which will be offically timed in Hawley Lake - not quite Windermere, but it will be the same distance.

 

Thank you again for your donations to Cancer Research.  I will enter again next year and hope the water will be fine.