Our journey began with a shared love for swimming, starting at the very first swim class when Benjamin was only four weeks old! From that moment, we have explored diving into streams, rivers, lakes, and the sea. After a weekend of wild swimming together, we decided to embrace the chill of cold water by ditching our wetsuits. Thus, our "Cold Water Challenge" was born!

This challenge has pushed us to our limits, including a sub-10-degree dip, a night swim, 1 1-mile Dover Harbour non-wetsuit swim and a two-hour qualifier in sub-16-degree water without wetsuits. 5km over 2 days in Dover Harbour swim.

The pinnacle of our adventure will be on June 16th, 2025, when one of us will take on the role of the sixth member in a relay team crossing the Channel. While we have already accomplished some challenges, there are still more to conquer. We have enjoyed our journey together and are grateful for the benefits that cold water has provided to our physical and mental health.

A huge thank you to our wonderful friends and family who have supported us both in and out of the water! We could not be doing this without your help.

A special thank you to Dryrobe, who have kindly gifted us dryrobes to keep us warm during our challenge.

We are raising funds for Hope at Home because survivors of modern slavery face unimaginable hardships. Many have endured exploitation—forced labor with little or no pay, sexual or criminal exploitation, and forced marriage—leaving them vulnerable and often homeless. At Hope at Home, we believe that no survivor should ever have to sleep on the streets. Our mission is to train and support volunteer hosts who can welcome these survivors into their homes, preventing homelessness and re-trafficking. We firmly believe that everyone deserves a safe home.

Our Hope at Home Relay Channel Swim Team

We invite you to join us in this vital cause by supporting our fundraising efforts with a target of £2,500. Your generosity can help provide shelter and hope for those who need it most.

Thank you!

with love from Benjamin and Patricia xx