Hello,

Between 21 and 25 July this year, if the weather allows, I am going to attempt a solo swim from Cornwall to Scilly. I will start the swim from Nanjizel Bay in West Cornwall, just along from Land’s End and Porthgwarra and hope to finish my swim at the Eastern Isles in the Isles of Scilly. In a straight line it’s about 26 miles (just a bit further
than the English Channel!) and I am expecting to swim for at least 20 hours non-stop. So some of the swimming is likely to be in the dark!

I will be swimming in accordance with channel swimming rules so as well as no stopping, I won’t be wearing a wetsuit, just a swimming costume, hat and goggles! Even in July the water temperature is going
to be fairly cold, with an average temperature of 17^oC off Cornwall
but a lower temperature of nearer 15 or 16 ^oC is likely around Scilly.

I will be supported by a pilot boat, the Celtic Fox, operated by Mark from Penzance Fishing, and a team to help keep me motivated and feed me during the swim.

This swim has only ever been achieved once and that record is held by Beth French with a time of 17 hours and 28 minutes. I hope to be the second person ever to complete the swim.

I have always had a love of swimming and being in water in general, as my friends and family will testify spend as much of my life as possible being in it - the swimming pool, lakes, rivers but especially the sea. My longest swim to date is the length of Lake Windermere, at a distance of 10.5 miles, which I completed in 2016, so this will be more than double the distance. This will be a huge personal challenge.

I am lucky enough to work for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and want to raise money for the RSPB in the South West to support work to conserve seabirds and manage our coastal reserves. The truth is that our wildlife is in trouble and needs our help. The Puffin, for example, is one our most recognisable and much-loved seabirds. However, in recent years their numbers across the UK and Europe have plummeted leading to the species being declared vulnerable to global extinction (that's the same as the giant panda or polar bear)- with further declines of between 50-79 percent estimated by 2065.

Your donations will support a range of conservation work that the RSPB undertakes across the South West, including surveys and monitoring, land management, and advocacy. Your donations are really appreciated and will make a huge difference, whether big or small.

Thank you for your support

Andrea x