I have always wanted to swim the English Channel and in my 50th year I thought it was about time I got on with it!  It has been a three year project of training and cold water acclimatisation and during the week beginning 26th August I will set out wearing only a standard swimming cozzie, a hat and a pair of goggles from the beach in Dover and just keep swimming until I hit the nearest bit of France that I can reach.  It is 21 miles in a straight line and the water temperature is unlikely to be above 16C.  Most swimmers actually swim around 25 miles because of the tides and are in the water an average of 14 hours.  Once started I cannot touch the boat or another human until I reach France.  There will be jellyfish, rubbish and very large container ships to dodge and it is likely that part of the swim will be in the dark.
I will be fed largely liquid feeds with the odd jelly baby and lump of chocolate cake by my support team whilst using around 800-1000 calories an hour in the cold water. I will be supported by Digby, Sarah Oldrey, Pete Wagstaff, Steve Roberts and Jon Tribbeck aboard Optimist piloted by Paul Foreman.  Once I am off you will be able to track the progress of the boat via the CS and PF website.
I am swimming in the memory of Sarah Cheesman with the permission of the Cheesman family to raise funds for Macmillan Caring Locally at Christchurch hospital to support and recognise the ongoing respite and end of life care offered to our local community.  This is a charity close to my heart and any monies raised will be for the 'extras' that make the care experience a bit more comfortable and human, such as the never ending supply of tea and biscuits available for visitors.  Thank you for sponsoring me and please do track my progress! Karen xxxx