On July 2nd I'll be taking part in The Great London Swim, which means I'll be swimming a mile in the Thames. Yes, the Thames. No, I haven't had any injections to prepare me for this. 

I will be raising money for the charity ICan, which supports children with communication difficulties. There are millions of children in Britain who have difficulties speaking or understanding and are often mislabelled as having behavioural or attention difficulties. The impact on their social and educational development can be devastating. 1 in 10 children in the UK have communication difficulties that require specialist help but there is a chronic shortage of Speech and Language Therapists and teachers of young children really struggle to give the intensive and specialised support they need to catch up. With the right help, early on, outcomes can dramatically improve for these children. Please help me raise some money for this cause if you are able. 

As an added incentive you are most welcome to come and point and laugh at me in my wetsuit on the day itself. I am hopeful that the men in the speedboat won't have to fish me out as if I'm taking part in some demented human version of hook-a-duck but never fear, I imagine the look on face as I step into freezing cold water will be just as amusing for you. 

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.