I'm taking on the Aspire Channel Swim 2019, swimming the distance of the English Channel over 12 weeks to raise money for Aspire. Every four hours someone is paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury and Aspire provides the essential equipment, advice and housing that spinal cord injured people need to live their lives independently. This is a big challenge, but the more I raise, the more of a difference I'll make, so please be generous.!

I know how difficult life is living with life changing injuries and how expensive everything is. I suffered a complete T2 spinal injury 9 years ago at the age of 22, in an rta and have had to live with the consequences ever since.  I don’t like not being able to walk and having to use a wheelchair all the time. Which is why I love swimming so much,  I feel free from the struggle of my wheelchair.   After 2 yrs of rehab I returned home swimming 12 lengths once a week, I am now doing 42 x25 mtrs twice a week solely using my arms.  Swimming feels effortless for me and it feels lovely to glide through the water.  My last sponsored event was completing the Commando challenge https://youtu.be/bkZ4VC34M8k on Woodbury Common,  Devon in 2015 ( Which I was only able to complete with a huge team supporting me, this Channel swim will be all  my own effort ( with a little support from my PAs who stop me bumping my head!!) I’m up for this challenge and will keep you all posted on my progress.  Thank you for your interest and support.  Rachel x