Last autumn, Nick (CEO of the Freedom Fund) wrote a beautiful and triumphant email showing last year's team having finished the race, raising lots of money for the fight against modern day slavery.

They looked delighted. And knackered. And very male.

The subsequent email exchange went a bit like this:

Gemma: Wow! That's amazing! Well done. You've got a bit of a gender problem though.

Nick: One person had to drop out. Anyway, you know how to solve that one don't you.

Gemma: But I can't do front-crawl for 20m let alone 2 hours.

Nick: The feminist struggle was never easy.

Gemma: You're right. Sign me up. I'm in.

[Goes away. Googles 'bosphorous swim']. OH SHIT. It's 6.5km!!!

CHLOEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Gemma: Do you want to swim the Bosphorous Strait from Asia to Europe to raise money for the fight against modern day slavery?

Chloe: Gemsy! Where's that? ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY. I AM IN!!

[Goes away. Googles 'bosphorous swim']. OHHHH SHIT!!!! It's 6.5km down the busiest shipping lane in the world...

And so began our journey to Istanbul.

A few days before flying to Istanbul, Zoe emailed us out of the blue, generally sounding not very ready for the whole swim “thing”. Apparently, she’d absentmindedly signed up for the swim while covering the fall of Robert Mugabe and hadn’t totally thought it through. 

Zoe: Hey guys, we haven’t met before but I’m doing the swim on Saturday with you. My goggles are shit and there aren’t any good ones in Nairobi, and, er, can I order some to you?! While we’re at it, any chance you’re bringing some chafing cream?

Gemma/Chloe: Noooo problem, of course! Don’t all the greatest friendships begin with conversations about chafing cream?

In January, Gemma couldn't front-crawl and didn't yet know she had a fear of dark water. Neither of us knew what neoprene or chaffing was. And we'd never ingested gallons of chlorinated, reservoir, dock and sea water. Well now we have. 

And then, together with Zoe and lots of other mad people, we swam one of the most iconic open water races in the world - all 6.5km of it. 

So you can either donate to compensate us for our stupidity and lack of requisite research. Or, much better, to support the cause of an organisation we know and can vouch for personally. This year, the Freedom Fund is raising money to protect, empower and liberate migrant domestic workers in the UK. Your donations will go to The Voice of Domestic Workers, which seeks to end discrimination and protect migrant domestic workers living in the UK by providing education, training, healthcare and legal advice.

We're very grateful for any donations. And please wish us good luck. We'll need it.

Questions? Contact the Freedom Fund at info@freedomfund.org. To learn more about the Freedom Fund and The Voice of Domestic Workers, visit our websites or read on.

The Freedom Fund is a leader in the global movement to end modern slavery. We identify and invest in the most effective frontline efforts to eradicate modern slavery in the countries and sectors where it is most prevalent. Partnering with visionary investors, governments, anti-slavery organisations and those at risk of exploitation, we tackle the systems that allow slavery to persist and thrive. Working together, we protect vulnerable populations, liberate and reintegrate those enslaved and prosecute those responsible.

The Voice of Domestic Workers, established in the UK in 2009, is a grassroots organisation made up of multi-national migrant domestic workers. They empower domestic workers to stand up and voice their opposition to discrimination, inequality, slavery and all forms of abuse. The organisation also provides educational and community activities and liberates domestic workers stuck with abusive employers.