⭐️ Swimming for Isla ⭐️

This month (November 11-13th) I will be attempting to swim approximately 30km around the Gili Islands in Indonesia 🇮🇩! This is no easy swim: it’s an ultra- open water swim against the famous Wallace current and actual distance will depend greatly on the tides.

I was a competitive swimmer as a child, but only returned to swimming recently in September 2022 when I joined the ‘Masters’ swim squad at the British Club in Singapore.

This ultra- swim is by far the biggest sporting challenge of my life. Being new to open water swimming, it is beyond daunting. I have been training super hard these last few months in the pool and sea, improving my technique and working hard to get my distances up (I have swam over 150km - and counting - in the past few weeks). I will absolutely give the swim my very best shot, although safety will be priority.

17 swimmers from the Masters squad will attempt the swim, with 3 boats following us with spotters, supplies and medical equipment. We will swim around 3 islands - Gili Trawangan, Gili Memo and Gili Air - one island a day. As the least experienced in the group, I am very grateful for their guidance - along with our amazing Coach Alain who is pushing us to our limits in gruelling training sessions.

As many of you are aware, my niece Isla had a catastrophic stroke just after her 11th birthday. Isla has shown remarkable resilience, courage and positivity in what has been an incredibly hard time. Isla works so hard each day with her rehab and has made significant progress, we are so proud of her. Isla loves to swim, she swims twice a week, with school and also with her family. Isla’s early rehab was physiotherapy in the hydrotherapy pool, water brings about a number of therapeutic effects. Isla is my inspiration for this swim, and I am doing this for Isla. Swimming can be a lonely sport, with a lot of time for thoughts - Isla is often in my mind during training, thinking of Isla’s daily challenges makes me push harder.

I would like to raise funds for the Child Brain Injury Trust 'CBIT', who have supported the family and helped educate Isla’s school. All the money raised will go towards continuing CBIT's fantastic work to support children, young people and families affected by acquired brain injury. Thank you so much for your donation and support xx

www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk