On 14 August 2022 I will be swimming the Thames Half Marathon – a 5.5km open water swimming event in the River Thames from Hurley to Marlow.

Why?

I have done open water lake and river swimming for some time but this event, and the distance I’m taking on, is at a new level for me and I’d like to take the opportunity to use this challenge to raise funds for a wonderful local charity  - Alzheimer’s Dementia Support – that my family has benefitted from greatly over recent months.

Our story

My dad, Frank, was diagnosed with Early Alzheimer’s Dementia in 2018. If you’ve watched anyone suffer with dementia of any type, you’ll know that it affects the whole family, and in particular the immediate carer or spouse – in my case, my mum. As you can imagine, lockdown times were particularly tough for anyone experiencing this as most support avenues were closed.

Earlier this year, mum found ADS – a fantastic local Berkshire independent charity that assists, guides and actively supports people living with dementia and their carers. They provide a wide range of services and interactive activities to improve the lives of the people they support. 

My dad regularly attends their ‘Out & About’ sessions. It’s a weekly respite service, providing stimulating and fun days out for able people with early-stage dementia, who are still active. It’s designed to give carers, like my mum, a welcome and much needed break. 

It’s led by Sandra Williams and supported by a dedicated and experienced team of volunteers.

Each week Sandra and the team arrange a day out for a group of people with dementia – over the months dad has had trips to museums, days doing craft activities, handling reptiles, falconry, golf, walks… the list goes on – they come up with such wide and varied ideas all the time. The 'Out & About' sessions are just one part of a packed calendar of activities the charity organises across Berkshire. 

Quite frankly, they have been brilliant. They’ve given so much help to us as a family, most importantly to my mum, so I’d like to do something in return and raise some funds to support them and all that they do.

Your help please

Please donate if you are able to. I don’t have a target in mind, I just know that every bit will help. My promise to you is that I will stay committed to training for this distance and, knowing that the funds I raise for this local charity, will keep me focussed on the finish line on the day. 

Thank you for reading. Fi   xxx