Hi I'm Gemma, an ordinary, everyday down to earth lass that is taking on a mammoth challenge to complete a relay swim across the English Channel.

Ive always enjoyed the outdoors, swimming, hiking, kayaking etc and just over 3 and a half years ago got into open water swimming and cold water therapy. This led to me meeting some incredible people who have become lifelong friends.

Sat chatting over a beer one evening and talking about open water swimming challenges, I made a pledge to become part of a relay team to swim across the English Channel from Samphire Hoe to Cap Gris-Nez.

Ive never in my life attempted anything as big as this and if i told you i wasnt nervous id be lying. Im excited to be doing it but im also absolutely terrified.

Swimming across the channel will be no easy feat. Not only is it over 20 miles but its across some of the toughest currents and across one of the busiest shipping lanes.

I will no doubt encounter numerous jellyfish and will enevitably get stung more than once. And another point to remember is that there are 21 different species of shark that live/swim in the English Channel too.

Im hoping to use my challenge to raise awareness for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance who hold a special place in my heart. They are funded completely by public donations and receive no government help. If you can spare some money to help this amazing cause id be so very grateful to you.

Thank You for your support.

Update – One Week On from our swim on 30 June 2025… and This Journey Isn’t Over Yet

It’s now been a week since I set off to swim the English Channel as part of a four-woman relay team. We’d trained for months, sacrificed early mornings and weekends, pushed ourselves physically and mentally… and when the time came, we were lucky enough to set off during one of the best weather windows.

But what we couldn’t change — and what proved to be our biggest challenge — was the sea itself.

We faced one of the strongest coefficient tides of the season, creating brutal conditions in the water. Despite my training and determination, the power of the tide and currents became overwhelming, and I was pulled from the water for my own safety. A decision that broke my heart, but one that had to be made.

It wasn’t the outcome I had dreamed of. I felt like I’d let my team down, let myself down… and perhaps even let some of you down. But with time to reflect, I’ve realised that trying and not succeeding isn’t failure — giving up is. And I’m not giving up.

My amazing teammates — Anne, Juliette, and Vikki — battled on for over 16 hours and made it to France, even though the swim couldn’t be officially ratified. Their courage, experience, and strength in those waters was beyond inspiring. I’m incredibly proud of them.

As for me — this is not the end of the story.

I will be back. I’m already planning my next attempt and getting ready to start a new wave of training. This experience hasn’t beaten me — it’s just strengthened my resolve.

I also want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me so far. Your donations, kind words, and encouragement have meant more than I can express. I’ve raised just under £2,000 (including Gift Aid) for the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, a service that quite literally saves lives across our region.

That alone makes every stroke worth it.

I’ll be leaving this page open as I continue my journey towards a successful Channel crossing. If you’d still like to support me and this incredible charity, your donation will go directly toward keeping their helicopter in the sky and their teams ready to respond when lives are on the line.

Thank you again for believing in me — the best is yet to come 💛

With love,

Gemma

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity