<p><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></strong></span></span></p> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The English Channel = 22 miles
&nbsp;</span></strong></span></p> <p><span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </strong> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The equivalent of:</span></p> <strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&bull; <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>2,530 double decker buses</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&bull; <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>352 football pitches</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&bull; <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>A bloody long way</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> </strong> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">OK, so I am not going to swim the actual channel for four good reasons:</span></p> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1) I don't fancy smearing myself all over with petroleum jelly</span></p> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2) I have a phobia of jelly fish</span></p> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">3) Dodging passing tankers is not my idea of a good time</span></p> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4) I know I'm from the North of England and have revelled in the North Sea on numerous occasions, but the Channel really is too damn cold.</span><strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I have therefore decided on a slightly 'less dangerous' option*: <strong>to&nbsp;swim the equivalent distance of the English Channel in my local swimming pool.</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> </strong> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I am aiming to do this over a period of <strong>just 8 weeks, which means swimming just under 3 miles / 160 lengths per week.</strong></span></p> <strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>I will be raising money for two charities:</strong></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <ol> <li> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>The Womens Fund </strong><span>&ndash;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">a charity which helps disadvantaged women in the North of England (more</span></p> </li> </ol></strong><strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><ol> <li> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span> information here <a href="http://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/connect/funds/womens-fund">http://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/connect/funds/womens-fund</a>)</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Alzheimers Society </strong><span>&ndash; which raises awareness about dementia and supports people around the UK with the disease (more information here <a href="http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=80">http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=80</a>). </span></span></p> </li> </ol> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span>Please feel free to donate to either (you can donate to the Alzheimers Society by clicking the link to 'Team Alzheimers' at the bottom left of this page). </span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> </strong> <p style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving &ndash; they&rsquo;ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they&rsquo;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&rsquo;s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p> <strong style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So please dig deep and donate now.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><em><strong>* though judging by the number of health and safety signs around the pool you wouldn't think swimming in a pool was less dangerous!</strong></em></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</p> </strong></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>