From cold water swims at Taplow Lake to the challenge of the English Channel — all to fund one day of hospice care.

Our team came together through a shared love of cold water swimming at Taplow Lake. What started as friendly swims and conversations in the water gradually grew into something much bigger.

Some of us arrived with swimming backgrounds, but several of us didn’t. For some, even front crawl had to be learned from scratch. What we all shared, however, was a belief in the power of cold water swimming — for mental wellbeing, resilience and the friendships it creates.

At the lake we met a group of swimmers who had successfully crossed the English Channel while raising an incredible £38,000 for charity. Their achievement inspired us and showed that ordinary people — starting exactly where they are — can come together to do something extraordinary.

Inspired by their story, we formed a team and committed to training for our own English Channel relay swim in August 2026. Between work, family life and early mornings at the lake, we train whenever we can — supporting, encouraging and motivating each other every step of the way. What began as a group of swimmers has become a close-knit swimming family.

We are raising money for Thames Hospice, an incredible local charity that provides compassionate care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The hospice relies heavily on donations, and it costs around £39,000 every day to provide this vital care.

Our goal is to raise £39,000 — enough to fund one full day of care at Thames Hospice.

If you’d like to follow our journey, we’ll be sharing our training, challenges and progress on our Facebook page — and during the Channel swim itself we’ll post updates from the boat so you can follow the crossing as it happens.

If you’re able to support us, please donate and share this page. Every pound raised will help ensure patients and their families receive the care, comfort and dignity they deserve when they need it most.