10.5 miles, 2 ways (21miles) and one personal mission.

Windermere is the longest lake in England at 10.5miles. I’m swimming the 21 miles of Windermere as a two-way swim because, for me, someone who has grown up deaf, that means something. Communication has to be two-way, and I rely on others to adapt for me.

One-way communication eventually falls flat, it isn't really communication at all. The bit that makes us human is the return, the effort to meet each other, and I think this matters particularly when we're faced with difference.

So this swim isn't just about 21 miles. It's about the distance between people. It’s about making sure the effort to cross the gap, doesn't always have to come from the same side. When we meet each other halfway, communication becomes connection.

As a military child, my mum had just made a huge move when she found out I was deaf. She no longer had her usual network. She didn't have a handbook for raising a deaf child. She had to find her way through a world that wasn't particularly good at communicating with either of us. Policies and education were definitely not in place those days. The National Deaf Children's Society supported me, and they supported her too.

It comes down to communication- a vehicle for information, knowledge and empowerment. Quite simply: it is the return effort that makes the difference. That's why I'm swimming two ways.

I have a particular passion for families who experience repeated change: military families who move again and again, children in care, and families navigating multiple hospital treatments. When everything else keeps changing, consistent communication can be one of the things that holds a child steady. Supporting a parent is part of supporting a child.

£24 could answer 4 calls to our Helpline from parents who have just found out their child is deaf, reassuring them they’re not alone.

£44 could provide an online session empowering parents to make sure their deaf child gets the right support at school.

£100 could fund one-to-one support for 3 families, helping them to secure the support they need.