As so many of you are aware, the support Evelyn needs is lifelong. We need to keep attending therapy intensives year after year, and new specialist equipment needs to be purchased as Evelyn grows.

So this year I’ve decided to take on a new challenge to help raise some funds for little Ev’s. And that challenge is all three Go Swim events this summer. This involves a 1500m open water swim at Loch Tay, Loch Lomond and then Loch Morlich.

Swimming is definitely not my strength. Having learnt to swim late due to hearing issues and two rounds of grommets in my ears, I learnt the basics and ended lessons as soon as I could. It was only as I got older that I taught myself the breathing technique and attempted swimming after work sometimes. Swimming in open water, well that’s something else. Especially the cold water up here. I definitely have a fear of being far from the coast and out of my depths, something I’m trying to overcome. But also swimming in a straight line (this is so hard in open water) and maintaining some sort of a stroke without regular breaks like I do in a swimming pool.

Will I be fast, absolutely not. My goal is to complete all three swims without having a freak out in the water, which will be huge in itself. And in doing this, hopefully raise some more money for Evelyn so that she can attend her first swim therapy intensive next year.