On the week of 11th of August, Ducks and Ducklings Dive Deep: Katherine, Amy and Georgia Strode and Izzy, Molly and Ella McLean take on the challenge of swimming in a relay from Dover to France.

Over the past year, we've been pounding up and down any swimming pool, lake, river or sea we can find. Alongside the stamina we need to get to France, we must prepare to freeze our tits off without a wetsuit (as per the English Channel swim requirements). Joining us on our journey will be a collection of obstacles, including; jellyfish, sharks, the occasional loose cargo and the endless dark below (especially for those of us doing the first legs in the night!)

And you may ask, why would we willingly choose to embark on this challenge...

We are fundraising in memory of Oli Strode; those who knew him would remember him as an adventure loving soul, who was always up for a challenge. For Oli, the journey itself was always more important than the destination; and this year of training has given us all a rich experience of the gifts that come when you push yourself outside your comfort zone.

In 2016 Oli trained for his school's relay crossing but despite multiple attempts to complete the 2hr qualifier (required for the English Channel Swim) the cold won. In this swim, we are continuing where he left off.

We chose to support the Charlie Waller Trust because of their focus on easy access to mental health education for young people and working to reduce the stigma. If you would like to find out more about the trust, please click on the link below:

https://www.charliewaller.org