Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

As you probably know, my brother, Adam and I have signed up to swim the length of Lake Windermere in September. That's 10.5 miles, in water around 15C (Try it, it's bloomin' cold!). I'm expecting it to take somewhere around 5-6 hrs.

The reason I'm doing this is for one of my son Alex's charities, Butterwick Children's Hospice. Alex was badly starved of oxygen at birth and is, as a result, very severely disabled, requiring total care 24/7. He gets 2 weeks a year at the hospice, providing respite for myself and my wife Johanne. The hospice provide top notch care and provide hydrotherapy, have a sensory room and basically pamper Alex from when he arrives to when he leaves.

Anything we can raise should go towards funding a new sensory area in the main living area of the Hospice, costing around £5k. If we go above that the money will go towards a new minibus for the Hospice. Hopefully between myself and my brother Adam we'll get there!

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Butterwick Children's Hospice gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

TRAINING BLOG

01/05/09 Both working up to do 3 miles straight off in pool training. Both didn't realise how unfit we'd got over the last few years! Doing 5 pool sessions a week. Carl only taking 12 degree (cold tap) showers from here on in. The first one hurt. Feel strangely good afterwards though!

01/06/09 Adam taking cold baths and doing lake training, 17 degrees. Can't see a thing looking down, feel uneasy. Got to overcome that one! 

07/06/09  Carls 3rd sea swim, Sunderland. 10 degrees! Lasted about 20 minutes but  sea was too choppy and came back out.  

14/06/09 Wykeham 5km lake swim, Scarborough. Both finished well in 5th (Adam) and 7th place (Carl) in a field of around 40 swimmers, both in 1hr 20mins, give or take a few seconds! Encouraging but we'll probably go at a slower pace for the main event.

18/07/09 Windermere 6 mile training swim with support crews. Teaching the support crews how to row, feed and water us whilst in the water, this is the longest we'll do before the actual swim. Supported by Will and Garry in my support boat things went well, finished in 2hrs 37. Adam wasn't quite so lucky, having to rescue his support crew (!!), Jim and Jack who needed pushing off a rock in the first 200m, with Adam finishing the swim in 2hrs 50. Both feeling good for then main event though. No chance of Adam beating Carl, despite some people pledging more if he does!

Enlightening experience, stripping down to speedos in front of unsuspecting holiday goers in Bowness and then getting in the freezing cold water! Try it sometime!!

08/08/09 Stockton Two Bridges 3km Race. Adam comes in at 46 mins, Carl 48mins. Water is a delightful turd brown! Not doing this one again! Bring on the main event!