Please help us raise funds for Greg. Here is Greg’s and our story.

January 2019, inspired by the story of a Channel Swimmer, a few Godalming Masters swimmers started to build a relay team. Six strong, ranging from 17 years young to 52 years old we are Grace, Kat, Greg, Hazel, Helen and Tony, all Godalming Club swimmers guided under the watchful eye of coach Sissy (Surrey Open Swim) and our spotter Dee.

Although we are all strong swimmers, the English Channel is not a small challenge. We are all pool swimmers and not used to cold water (no wetsuits), jelly fish, large ships, sea sickness, salt water, bad weather, darkness, lack of sleep and many hours of swimming. The list goes on. Why are we doing this? The answer now is simple, for Greg.

Aside from the challenges of Covid, closed pools and the open water, we started training together as a team of six in June 2020.

In Spring 2021 a team name was needed and ‘Sissy’s six and Dee too’ was born – ‘S6&D2’ has been registered with the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation. We have secured a boat and been given our swim window of September 19th to 26th 2021.

We always knew we wanted to raise funds for a good cause but had no idea how close to home those funds would be needed.

On Good Friday 2021, Greg, strong, fit and risk aware, had a life-changing mountain biking accident. He has broken his neck and suffered a severe spinal cord injury. After extensive surgery, having spent six weeks in intensive care at St. Georges Hospital, he is now at the Spinal Cord Injury Centre at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. He is paralysed from the armpits down and unable to walk. So instead of swim training he is now taking one day at a time and has started the slow process of rehabilitation. The strength and determination he was planning to use to get us all across the channel is now focused on getting himself prepared for a different life.

It is too early to fully know what support he will need on a day-to-day basis but what we do know is that Greg’s home will require significant adaptation and his life will be very different to the one he planned on his wedding day less than a year ago.

Greg is still our 6th member. We are still S6&D2. Greg is irreplaceable so we are swimming the relay as a 5. For Greg – a strong swimmer who was always calm and positive for our team.

We would like to raise as much as we can to give Greg the best possible support as he adapts to his new life. Please donate!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Surrey Open Swim where we will keep you updated on our training progress towards the big day. We will let you know how you can virtually follow the boat on the day and will post an update here on Greg’s progress.

Whilst we hope we complete the distance! There is always the chance that the swim may be postponed, cancelled or that we don't make it so please donate knowing that this could happen.

Thank you in advance for your support.

S6&D2