Thank you everyone for your support!  We smashed it!  Each one of us swam the solent in under 2 hours - thanks to all the boats and kayakers for supporting us.  An amazing day in memory of our friend.

We've received this very special message from Helen, Lizzie's Mum:

"I'm so proud of all of you - you are all brave and strong individuals.  Your dedication to raising money in memory of my gorgeous girl (and your lovely friend) has so impressed me - it's made me cry, made me smile and made me realise that her memory will always live on through the love for her that you and so many of us have.  That means so much to me!  Such good luck to you all for Thursday - you've all trained so hard so just enjoy it!  Loads of love Helen x"

Quite simply: On 13th July we plan to Swim the Solent - from the Isle of Wight to Lymington.  We want to raise funds for Piam Brown Ward at Southampton Hospital in memory of our friend Lizzie Murt.

What this means:  This is a big challenge: a distance of over 2 miles of open water and a very different discipline to swimming in the pool.  To get ready for this challenge we've been training 4 - 5 times a week, in the pool, the Sea Water Baths and the sea. We will have RIBs and kayakers to guide us over but most of all we'll need lots of strength, stamina and determination.

Who we are:  We're a team of local children aged between 13 and 15 - Ava, Delfi, Dougie, Georgia, Hattie, Issy, Maya, Millie, Olivia, Oscar, Sonny and Ted.  None of us have ever swum the Solent before, and in fact for most of us it's the first time we've taken on an open water swim.

And here's why:  Lizzie died of cancer in October 2015, aged 13.  The wonderful staff at Piam Brown helped Lizzie and her family through that desperate time.  We want to show our lasting love for Lizzie and want the ward to benefit from our hard work and your generous donations. Piam Brown is the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Unit in Southampton which looks after children up to the age of 18.  Money raised will continue to provide essential resources and equipment for children and their families.

Your support:  Any donation you are able to make will be so gratefully received so please spread the word.  Also please come back to this page to see further information; photos and updates.  We really appreciate your support!

(Any such swim is weather dependent; if the weather means it is unsafe for us to make the Solent Swim on 13th, we will be venturing inshore to undertake a different but challenging swim - more details to follow).

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

You can also text a donation, text: SSFL99, plus your donation amount - to 70070.  Thank you. x