Andrew's Channel Swim for Oxford Hospitals Charity
Andrew Brent is raising money for Oxford Hospitals Charity
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Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway, and busy enough to need a goal to carve out all important time for exercise - somewhat madly I have joined the Oxford Hospitals Charity PICU team to attempt to swim the Channel!
It’s all in aid of raising money for the Oxford Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). We need more space to accommodate the increased demand on our many intensive care units, for both adults and children. To address this the hospital plans to build a new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit which will also then release space for our adult intensive care unit. The money we raise through our Channel Swim will make an important contribution to equipping PICU now and in the future to ensure the service is best placed to deliver the care the very sickest of our children require.
Please support us and give as generously as you can as we prepare to battle the cold water and waves - not to mention the killer whales that turned up at close range when one of us last did this!
France here we come! On y va - Vive l’équipe PICU!
Andrew
The PICU Channel Swim - Fundraising Appeal for Oxford University Hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Around 1,000 young patients are cared for here every year – children from across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Northamptonshire and in some cases across the UK. The growing demand for our local, regional and national services means we need to equip and expand our PICU.
To support this, we are excited to announce an incredible fundraising challenge! Six brave swimmers will be participating in an English Channel relay in July 2025. The water will be cold and the distances demanding, but the team have trained over the winter in local pools and lakes. And, with the onset of spring, we now launch the official fundraising campaign.
Rosie Priddy, PICU nurse, swimmer and team coach says: " I've worked on PICU for over 15 years and am excited to be part of the next stage of its growth. I love a challenge - on land or in the water (although this might be the scariest so far) - so i am determined to face jellyfish and other unknown depths to help raise funds for our PICU."
Michael Carter, Consultant on the PICU, recalled about his previous effort in 2021: “We started just after midnight to catch the tide out from Dover, cold (11 degrees C), but by sunrise three hours into the adventure, the sea was warming… and then a pair of orcas swam under the support boat - the team on the boat only told me after!”
Every donation made to support these courageous swimmers will directly benefit our paediatric intensive care unit, helping us to buy equipement that is cruicial for treating critically ill children.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
DONATE: Every pound raised will go towards growing and equipping our PICU.
ENCOURAGE: Share this campaign with friends, family, and colleagues and inspire them to give.
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY: Keep up with the swimmers’ progress as they train and prepare for this extraordinary challenge.