The Challenge(s)

For several years swimming in the sea has been a thread in my life; from swimming on Tiree,  coaching open water swimming in Croatia and Turkey, coaching at various clubs, and doing various challenge swims. This summer I am taking on both a team challenge and a solo challenge. 

I will be part of a relay team swimming from Ramsgate to Belgium (over 80km without a wetsuit). If successful, we will be the third ever crossing, and the second relay team. We are hoping to become the fastest crossing to date. 

My own, personal, solo challenge will be swimming the length of Lake Windermere (also without a wetsuit), the longest lake in England at 11 miles. My dad, having also been part of the relay team, will be my support at Lake Windermere, canoeing alongside me. I aim to complete the swim in under 6 hours. 

You can follow my training and progress on instagram at @anna_goes_swimming

The Charity

I am swimming to raise money for Glasgow Women's Aid, a charity close to my heart which is 50 years old this year. I have worked in an office where I met many women who have benefited from the care and services of Glasgow Women's Aid, and cannot stress enough just how important their help was and continues to be for them. 

1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives. In 2021-22, 64,807 domestic abuse incidents were recorded by Police Scotland and over 100,000 children in Scotland are living in households where domestic abuse occurs. It has been estimated that in 90% of domestic abuse cases, children have been in the same room or the room next door. 

Glasgow Women's Aid are an amazing charity which support and provide accommodation for women and children experiencing or recovering from domestic abuse.With over 40 refuge spaces in Glasgow, they provide emotional and practical support to over 5,000 women and their children on a yearly basis. I would like to try and raise £1 for each of those women and children.

A donation of £5 could help purchase materials for a child to take part in a children's group activity, £10 could provide an emergency pack for a woman fleeing domestic abuse, £20 could fund a stress management session or other well-being session,  and £50 could cover the costs for a child to have a session with a Play Therapist (inc travel, subsistence, materials, etc).