I am proud to be swimming the North Channel from Ireland to Scotland in cold water, battling strong tides and shoals of jelly fish in just goggles and trunks to raise funds for the Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust – this is the biggest challenge of my life. Since 1948 only 11 swimmers have completed the swim so this is a massive challenge and at the age of 47 is not to be taken lightly. The Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust is renovating Africa’s oldest ship, built in 1898, to become a floating clinic on Lake Malawi. They have raised £1.2 million but still need to raise £750,000 to complete the renovation – a massive challenge just like my swim. In 2011 I swam the English Channel, in February I swam across Lake Malawi setting a new record of 8hours and 46 minutes – although tough these swims are easy compared to the North Channel I work for the EU Delegation to Malawi where I live with my wife and four children. Daily I see that for most Malawians health care is severely limited especially in remote areas around the Lake where there are few roads, no access to clinics and simple medicines, vaccines and advice are simply not available. It is not uncommon for pregnant women and sick children to travel long distances in a dugout canoe, risking dangerous currents and crocodiles to get to the nearest clinic.