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In a moment of rashness, I have entered the annual swimming race across the Hellespont this year on 30 August with my old friend and fellow swimmer Rob Williams. As you probably know, this is the 4.5km stretch of water where the Black Sea meets the Aegean and was famously swum by Leander and Lord Byron. It is a busy shipping lane (fortunately closed for the race, so no close encounters with VLCCs) and has a strong cross current.

I would like to use this opportunity to raise some money for the Charlie Waller Trust, which is one the UK’s most respected mental health charities, founded by the family of Charlie Waller who took his own life in 1997 whilst suffering from depression. The work of the CWT helps young people to understand their own mental health, to equip them to support themselves and those around them and to empower them to talk more openly about the subject. Much of their work takes place in partnership with those with responsibility for young people - families, schools, colleges, universities, and employers. I feel that the work of the CWT is particularly important at the moment given that children and young people had their education and crucial early stages of their careers turned upside down during the COVID restrictions in 2020 and 2021. I was fortunate enough to know Charlie when I was at Elstree school and he had joined the staff as a gap-year student for the year. He was an enormously kind and fun man (and a very talented sportsman and actor) and was adored by the children at the school. 

Appreciating that these are straitened times, any donation you can give would be hugely appreciated.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.