Wednesday 8th August update: Yesterday I swam from Shakespeare Beach, Dover to a sandy beach just to the east of the town of Wissant on the north French coast near Cap Gris Nez. I emerged from the sea after 12hr 45mins of swimming and promptly greeted a man out for a jog along the beach with the news of my journey. In fear of the sight of me he quickened his pace slightly as I part ran and part stumbled my way triumphantly towards him. The last update I will make to this website will be to post a photograph on the window to the left. I'll do this just as soon as I can, so please keep checking back, if not to see this, then to see the staggering total which has grown steadily over recent weeks. This webpage will remain live until October as I am sure there may be a few who have not yet donated, but my final word is to say thank you to all those kind sponsors below and to those who have sent cheques too. To know you have all been so generous was easily the sharpest spur in my darkest hour of the swim. Latest news: The swim is due to start from Shakespeare Beach at 5am on Tuesday 7th August. I will post a message on this page on Wednesday 8th August with news of how the swim went.

At Christmas one of the boarders under my care at school was diagnosed with leukaemia; we all feared the worst and were devastated by the news.

However, thanks to the staff of University College, London, Hospital, he is now several months into a well-organised programme of treatment, but the effects of chemotherapy have had a severe effect on his life: during the next three years of treatment he will face a string of unimaginable physical and mental challenges which, for a sixteen year-old, could not come at a worse time.

To raise your awareness of the great work carried out at UCLH and in recognition of the bravery of this young chap, I have set my own challenge to swim across the English Channel; I hope this will be the only major one I ever face in my life. Your challenge is simply to make a donation.

In August this summer I will set out to try to swim the 24 miles from England to France in just a swimming costume. I expect to be battling for between ten and twenty hours across cold tidal currents among passing ships and jellyfish, a task made no easier by the knowledge that over half the swimmers who set out fail to complete their journey.

Your donations will go towards an Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia research project examining effectiveness of Minimal Residual Disease Tests in determining optimal treatment at an early stage of disease; this project will be carried out at UCLH.

Please, please donate generously, ideally online (where claiming the tax back is easy).

Angus McChesney 1st June 2007