Mark and I both have family members who have been walloped by a stroke. They have physical and invisible struggles to cope with, but they continue to fight on each day. It's their strength and determination through their long recoveries that's driving me to take on the Swim for Stroke challenge and swim the length of the English Channel, 20.5 miles over the next few weeks. (I'll be in a pool! but there is a family of 4 from Faversham doing a relay swim across the English Channel too!)

I've been away from the pool for over a year, so I'm sure I'll be slow to start off, but hopefully you'll cheer me on along the way and help raise vital funds to help stroke survivors find strength through support.

Please help if you can, every penny counts and DK Publishing will match up to £100 so it would be great to get donations over that line. Thank you.

Every day in the UK, another 240 people wake up to the catastrophic impact of a stroke. The Stroke Association is the leading charity in the UK providing lifelong support for all stroke survivors and their families. Your donations can help in incredible ways:

• £350 could help run a long-term communication support group, empowering stroke survivors to achieve the best possible level of communication, improving confidence and supporting with independence.

• £250 could pay for one hour of Helpline activity, helping the families of stroke survivors support their loved ones after stroke.

• £300 could pay for an MRI scan that can help us better understand the brain of those affected by stroke