Thanks for taking the time to visit our “JustGiving” page.

With the ever changing goal post due to unpredictable weather conditions, on the 30th of July 2015 at 9am, the two of us (Mark Leighton and John Myatt) will attempt to swim across the English Channel as an alternating '2 man relay' in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.

There is no doubt that the 40km crossing will be difficult … unrelenting cold, the possibility of oil slicks, sewage, drift wood, flotsam, jetsam, jellyfish, abandoned fridges, super tankers (more than 600 ships pass through each day), tides, currents and swells which can be impossible to make headway against. The list is daunting and the weather can be so unforgiving and unpredictable that many have agonizingly failed in plain sight of their destination, mainland France.

The costs associated in undertaking this mammoth challenge have also been considerable, in terms both of finances and also precious time spent away from our families. We have both had to commit to countless miles of travel and endless hours training in pools, rivers, lakes and the ocean itself. Some of the swims have been soul destroying … plodding for endless hours, getting battered by waves whilst swallowing untold mouthfuls of muddy water, steeling ourselves to the unrelenting chill of ice cold water and the very real fear of hypothermia. Cramp, sore shoulders, muscle strains, viruses and fatigue … all have been overcome as we conditioned ourselves to ensure failure was not an option.

The reason we are doing this is in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. We both have friends and family who have been affected by the disease and I have no doubt some of you reading this will know somebody all too close who has been affected. We are appealing for your support to help raise money for this most worthy of causes. The money raised as a result of your care and generosity will go towards supporting the 300,000 men living with prostate cancer in the UK and funding ongoing cutting-edge research to help us understand more about a disease which currently affects one in eight men in the UK.

Also joining us on our adventure will be Gloucester's very own town crier (Alan Myatt at www.thememan.co.uk). He's almost certainly going to cry if we don't make it!

On a serious note, Alan will be attempting to become the first Town Crier to cry across the channel … so we most certainly have the right support crew on board to fire us up and keep us going.

We thank you for your support, no matter the amount you might feel comfortable giving. We assure you we will put our hearts and souls into completing this venture in honour of  those who have been touched by this affliction.

With appreciation

Mark and John