THE CHALLENGE:

At the end of the summer, I (Ryan) and my three sons, Nathan, Alex and Ben, will be taking on one of the world’s most iconic endurance swims – the English Channel… as a relay team!

Between 28th August and 2nd September, we’ll be on standby waiting for the green light: once the weather, tides and conditions line up, we’ll get the call… and it’s game on!

Here’s what we’re signing up for:

🩳 NO WETSUITS ALLOWED: just a pair of swimming trunks and a healthy dose of optimism!

🌊 HOURS OF SWIMMING: depending on the tides and weather!

🪼 SHARING THE WATER: jellyfish, seaweed and whatever else decides to drift by!

🚢 RISKY BUSINESS: Crossing the world’s busiest shipping lane with only a small pilot boat for guidance!

🌡️ COLD COLD COLD: Sea temperatures of around 15-19 degrees Celsius… depending on currents and vessels passing by!

The four of us will take it in turns swimming for a hour at a time, keeping strictly to the same order: it’s all about teamwork, determination and trying not to think too much about how cold it is!

WHY WE’RE DOING IT:

This challenge isn’t just about testing ourselves - it’s about raising money for a cause that means a great deal to our family.

Stroke can happen to anyone, regardless of age, and we’ve sadly seen that first-hand. Three close friends of ours have all suffered strokes in their early fifties, each with life-changing consequences. Watching how stroke has affected them and their families has shown us just how devastating it can be.

Debbie (Ryan’s wife and the boys’ mum) also works as a speech and language therapist, supporting stroke survivors; she sees the challenges people face during recovery and the incredible work that organisations like the Stroke Association do to help rebuild lives.

Every penny donated through this page goes directly to the Stroke Association to support their vital work helping stroke survivors and their families.

THE TRAINING:

You don’t just wake up one morning and decide to swim the English Channel! Preparing for this challenge has involved months of dedicated training, including:

🤿 Swimming sessions through the winter in an unheated outdoor pool to get used to cold water.

🤿 Countless hours in the swimming pool building endurance.

🤿 Regular trips to Dover to train in the sea and experience open-water conditions.

It’s been cold, exhausting and occasionally questionable… but it’ll all be worth it if we can make a real difference!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Whether you can spare £2 or £200, every donation will help the Stroke Association continue providing life-changing support, funding research and giving hope to thousands of stroke survivors and their loved ones.

And if you can’t donate, sharing this page with friends and family would mean the world to us.

Thank you so much for your support!