Paula Craig

Police officer, Paula raised over £33,000 to thank the charity that supported her after she was hit by a car in 2001.

She became the first paraplegic person to swim the English Channel without a wetsuit, as part of a relay team.

We chatted to Paula about her fundraising experiences. Here’s what she had to say:

Q: What inspired you to start fundraising?

“I ran the London marathon six times before my accident and always ran for charity. There are so many incredible charities and I’m always blown away by the generosity of the general public, so it always seems a waste to take on a challenge and not try and raise some much-needed funds at the same time.”

Q: What does your cause mean to you?

“In 2001, I was paralysed from the waist down following a cycling accident when I was hit by a car. I was then made aware of a charity called Aspire, which do fantastic work supporting those who are affected by spinal cord injury.”

Q: How did it feel when you completed your challenge?

“We had hoped to complete our challenge in 2021 but, due to adverse weather conditions, we were unable to complete it until 2022. I was delighted to complete it and to know that the early mornings and months of cold water training had finally paid off. Of course, we were also hugely relieved to be able to tell all our generous supporters that we had done it!”

Q: What difference are your donations making/How does it feel to see the difference your donations are making?

“Every penny raised for Aspire really does make a difference and I’m very fortunate to be close to where they are based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital so I see firsthand some of those benefiting from their work. Having benefitted myself many years ago, I know just how those recipients feel.”

Q: Do you have any more fundraising plans for this year?

“I don’t have any specific fundraising plans for this year as the Channel swim took over the last years but I definitely intend to take on more challenges for charity in the future.”

Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to start fundraising?

“For anyone thinking of fundraising, I would definitely say “go for it”. Apart from the obvious, helping those less fortunate than ourselves, it certainly helps to keep pushing on when the going gets tough. During the tough months in training and when I was being horribly seasick between swims during the actual challenge, I kept thinking of all the generous sponsors and those who would benefit from our efforts.”

Read Paula’s full story