The past 2 years has been a journey, there have been moments that I will treasure forever and decisions that I will think - what was I thinking!!  This is possibly one of them!!

During 2020 I watched Channel 4's Sink or Swim series, which
followed a group of celebrities’ train and attempt a relay channel swim, some of whom initially couldn't swim. I was inspired and decided I wanted to have a go!!  As luck would have it, the opportunity presented itself in December 2020 by a colleague asking if I would
be interested in participating in a Channel relay swim to raise funds for The Light Fund, the charity supported by the Licensing industry (an industry I have been part of for over 20 years) and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).

What is a Channel Relay Swim?  A group of 6 people swimming rotating 1hr swims from the English Coast until you reach the French coast.  You must stay in the same order, no one can miss their turn and you can only wear a swimsuit, a swimming hat and goggles –
no wetsuit!  We must not touch the boat nor each another during each 1hr stint.

And so, the journey began.  If I am very honest, when I first heard what the swim involved, I thought how hard it can be?!  I knew I could swim for an hour, have a rest and then swim again.  It's only 20 miles (32km).  That’s only approximately 215 lengths of a 25m
pool over 2 x 1hr stints.  I can do that!

Fast forward a few months and I have a whole new level of respect and understanding of the celebrities that took part in that TV series.  It turns out it’s a little more complicated than finding five other crazy people and booking a boat and swimming a few (hundred) lengths!!

Whilst the shortest distance between Dover and Cap Gris Nez (a cape near Calais) is only 20 miles, but with tidal shifts apparently, we are more likely to swim 40 miles (64km) in waters around 15°C (59°F).

Including relay swims, more people have climbed Mount Everest than have swum the Channel which is considered the global Holy Grail of open water swims.  Approximately, 7694 swimmers have taken part in 1024 relay swims.  The average time for a Channel relay swim crossing is 12 hours and 45 minutes and 11 seconds. Most relays of our general make-up and ability take between 16 hours and 20 hours to complete but with weather and currents no one knows what to expect.  People keep saying “do you know what’s in the Channel?” NO I DON’T, and I DON’T NEED TO KNOW 😊.  I will just need to get the job done!!!! If you want to know – please feel free to google yourselves.

Over the passed 18 months I have swum in water temperatures that had never even crossed my mind before, the coldest being 7°C (44°F) in the Baltic Sea, but it turns out it’s not as bad as it seems once you get used to it and friendly seals make the efforts worthwhile.  However, the majority of my training has been pool based to build up strength and stamina and that continued with some lake swimming will be the focus for the last 5-6weeks..    

So now with just over a month to go until our ‘window’ opens when we have to be prepared and ready to hot foot it to Dover with 24hrs notice – the pilots inform us when based on weather and tidal forecasts when is the best chance of success – it’s time to ask all of those generous people out there to support me.  As a squad we are aiming to raise £250,000.

The two charities we’re supporting are:

The Light Fund has been raising funds since 2004 supporting charity projects that help children, families, women and men. The Light Fund was born in 2004 and enables the UK licensing industry (brand owners from TV shows, films, personalities, sports clubs, bodies and teams, art & design, heritage and FMCG brands) retailers and manufacturers) to come together and giving help and support together enabling greater impact.

RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) – save lives at sea.  Their volunteer lifeboat crews who provide a 24-hour rescue service in the UK and Ireland. 

There are many causes that need support these days, so any amount big or small you can donate will be much appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Anna
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