My Challenge is to Swim the English Channel with fellow relay team members in support of Aspire, a charity who help people with spinal cord injuries to live independent lives.  £3000 will buy a lightweight wheelchair which might inspire a future Paralympian - who knows?  For sure - it will give someone greater independence.

Incurring a spinal cord injury is a horrific life changing experience. There is no warning, no preventative medicine, no time to prepare. Enduring 24 hours of arduous conditions to swim the channel is the least I can do to help. 

And it is going to be tough swimming through the night in cold water, in just my cossie, dodging jellyfish, sharks, debris, P&O ferries and container ships in strong tidal conditions; and with time between swims sitting on a very small, slow moving boat being tossed around at the mercy of the tide, wind and waves.... Isn't my effort (or discomfort if you prefer) worth a few quid to charity?

More people have climbed Everest than have successfully swum the English Channel either solo or in a relay team.  The distance is 22 miles but with tides and currents it can be significantly further. Last year a third of all attempts failed to complete the crossing.

With this in mind I've put in some hard training to make sure I can beat the elements that will conspire to prevent the team reaching France.  Check out the updates below.

Thanks for visiting this page.  I hope you will support my challenge and give generously towards providing badly needed specialist support and equipment to enable people with spinal cord injuries to live fulfilled and independent lives in their own homes.

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thank you.

Helen