The Great North swim 2021 happens almost five years to the day since I woke up with deafening tinnitus. I felt like I had a tumble dryer in my head. A random virus had attacked the cochlear in my left ear leaving me permanently deaf on one side. 

Over the next extremely disorientating few weeks as I struggled to understand what had happened to me, one organisation in particular gave me great support - The British Tinnitus Association. I was very afraid at that time that my condition would mean I would no longer be able to do my job as a theatre director, but the positive case studies they shared with me helped me to see that I could perhaps learn to adapt to live with the condition which I have accomplished. So I'm swimming to say a big thank you to them for giving me hope and solidarity when I needed it the most.

The British Tinnitus Association is the only national charity specialising in tinnitus support and during the Covid-19 pandemic there has been an unprecedented demand for their services. I totally support their vision which is to work for a world where no one suffers from tinnitus. They receive no money directly from the government, so are 100% reliant on the generosity and support of members of the public and grant-making organisations to be able to support people with tinnitus across the UK. All of their work is paid for by the generosity of supporters like you.

In my process to learn to live with tinnitus a huge help to me has been water. Being by the sea, a river, or open water has always brought me incredible relief from the tumble dryer in my head. So last year I took the plunge and started open water swimming, and I was inspired to do the Great North Swim for my "thank you BTA" campaign.

Thank you for supporting this brilliant organisation who do so much for people with tinnitus - like me.