Swim Challenges completed for Aspire

2010 Malto to Gozo, Group - first open water sea swim crossing, first jelly fish sting (ouch), met John Conningham-Rolls and Alice 'Penguin' who made Channel relay swim feel achievable

2011 Channel Relay with Team Penguin - night swimming was simply terrifying BUT best camaraderie ever

2012 Buttermere and Crumock Water, Group - a very sociable, scenic, atmospheric swim

2013 Wales, Porth Dinllaen, Solo - slightly scary with big Lion's mane jelly fish... aaahhh ... and chilly without a wetsuit

2014 England, Isles of Scilly, Group -chillier and tougher than expected, kelp forests are not for me I discovered, turquoise waters are always on the opposite shore !

2015 Scotland, Lock Ness Relay with Team Penguin - very chilly andmuch more fun than expected, succesfully completed in 14 hours 22mins

2016 5km Nevis to St Kitts Cross Channel Race ! - tricky ... races are really not my thing, completed in under 2 hours

2017 Gulf of Corryvreckan Crossing and Inner Hebrides, Group - fabulously challenging , 25km over 5 days

2018 Outer Hebrides, Group - massive swells, tough, very choppy sea and rediculously scary seals (huge when you are in the water with them!), stunningly beautiful , 25km over 5 days

2019 Henley Swim Festival - 10 year celebration of Aspire's Relay Channel Swim Project

2020 Arun Swim - 15 km over 2 days.

2022 Arctic Swim - Lofoten Islands. Stunningly beautiful scenery, a tad chilly ! and EXTREMELY well looked after by the swimming guides John C-R and Dewi. Arctic 'romper suits' were a life saver. Mountains, islands and some turquoise waters plus saunas and hot tubs - the Norwegians certainly know how to live and make the most of their natural environment

2024 Rhum, Eigg, Canna, Sanday, Isle of Skye. Good to back into NW Scottish waters after my foot operations Sept 22 and Sept 23 and shoulder injury Dec 22. Shoulder not so comfy with a wetsuit so I had some rather chilly swims and had to draw on previous experiences knowing I would warm up eventually ... My foot stood up well to the challenge, I am very glad to say, but I did take it very gently as I hadn't be able to do much training with fins

My 'association' with spinal injury

I have survived 2 car crashes (1982 and 2000) plus a nasty knock off my bicycle (2010) and a roller skating accident at the age of 9 - head on collision with a car and a concrete wall ! respectively. I have been lucky and walked away each time. Not so with everybody

Other challenges for Aspire

Trek to Everest Base Camp - November 2011 - toughest challenge ever

Cycle across Cuba - March 2012 - lots of fun, but cycling is not my strong suit so was quite tricky

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