This year we are taking on Chillswim Windermere, an 11 mile (17.7km) open-water swim across England’s largest lake in the beautiful (and often very cold) Lake District. It’s a serious endurance challenge involving long distances, cold water and a lot of training… but we’re doing it for a brilliant cause.

We’re raising money for Level Water, a charity that provides one-to-one swimming lessons for children with disabilities across the UK. Swimming is an incredible life skill — not just for safety, but for confidence, independence and joy in the water. Level Water helps ensure more children have the opportunity to experience exactly that.

Why we’re doing this

Chris:

I’ve always loved swimming. As a triathlete it’s a big part of my life, but open water swimming has a special appeal — there’s something very honest about it. No lanes, no walls, just you, the water, and the distance ahead.

Taking on the full length of Windermere is a serious challenge, but it also felt like the right opportunity to raise money for a cause connected to the water. Swimming has given me confidence, resilience and a huge amount of enjoyment. Level Water helps ensure that children with disabilities can experience those same benefits through one-to-one swimming lessons.

We’re incredibly lucky to be able to take on challenges like this. If our swim can help even a small number of children gain access to the water, learn a life-saving skill, and build confidence, then every cold training session will be worth it.

Stefan:

A few years ago Chris convinced me to sign up for a 5km swim in Lake Windermere as part of the Great North Swim. What started as a slightly questionable idea between friends ended up having a huge positive impact on my life.

Training for that swim helped improve my physical health, but more importantly it helped my mental health at a time when I was going through some challenges and really needed it. There’s something powerful about open water swimming — it forces you to slow down, focus, and just keep moving forward.

I’m lucky that I’m able to take on challenges like this, and even luckier to have the support of amazing friends and family — including Chris, who got me into this in the first place.

That’s why Level Water is such a brilliant charity. They help children who might not otherwise get the chance to experience the freedom, confidence and joy that swimming can bring.

What your donation does

Each one-to-one swimming lesson through Level Water costs around £15, so even a small contribution can make a real, tangible difference.

We’d love to raise £1,500, which would fund around 100 lessons for children who might not otherwise have access to the water. That said, any amount — big or small — genuinely helps, and we’re grateful for whatever people are able to contribute. The more we raise, the more children can benefit.

Training Progress

If you’d like to follow along (and make sure we’re actually doing the training), you can track our progress on Strava:

Chris: [Insert Strava link]

Stefan: https://strava.app.link/rj89bA9wU1b

If you’re able to donate or share the page, we’d be hugely grateful. Your support helps Level Water give more children the chance to learn to swim and experience everything the water can offer.