Harry was our son.  During his short life he was cared for by Acorns at an estimated cost (by me) of around £100,000.  Not much more needs to be said on that score, or why I’m therefore fundraising for them!

£10,000 is a huge target.  And swimming the Channel is an equally huge challenge.

To put it into perspective, the furthest I had ever swum prior to deciding on this challenge was 2km!  I need to build up to over 16 hours in the sea - hence the requirement for a whole year's worth of hard training.

More people have successfully climbed Mt. Everest than have swum the Channel.  16+ hours in cold water can quickly lead to hypothermia.  Other joys I have to look forward to may include:

·         Dodging oil tankers

·         Swimming through oil slicks (and possibly sewerage)

·         Jellyfish (sharks and whales have also been sighted on previous swims!)

·         Swallowing lots of seawater

This is no ‘jolly’.  I won’t have a warm shower or bath until the event now, whilst acclimatising whenever possible to cold water.

I'm pleased to announce that through generous sponsorship from Dovetail, HallmarkHulme, Kendal Wadley and Rybrook, I now have the full corporate sponsorship necessary to undertake this (mad) challenge.

My progress throughout the year can be followed via my blog, here.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.