Catch up with every shower here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuG0tYLHQKNgXZr0SxkDxpg

Or have a look for the hashtag: #outdoorshowersforayear

For nearly 30 years I have both volunteered and worked for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution; Lifeboat Crew as a volunteer and in our Water Safety team as staff. I'm passionate about trying to make a dent in the 600-650* lives that are still lost at sea and at the coast each year.

*Includes all accidental coastal drownings in the UK, all UK inland accidental drownings, accidental coastal drownings in Ireland and all of those poor souls whose lives are lost to suicide in water.

To this end I have started this year long challenge that is aimed at creating another platform from which to talk about Water Safety and Drowning prevention messages. I'm also, obviously, very keen to raise some funds to further our work in lifesaving around the coast of the UK and Ireland.

As well as having a passion for the prevention of drowning, I also feel an affinity with the coastal environment and I really want to 'do my bit' to help to prevent coastal and sea pollution. Locally (in the Thanet area) we have had some problems with Sewage release by Southern Water. Whilst I believe that the Water utility companies bear a degree of culpability for the problems, I also believe that we won't see much significant improvement unless we, the population, change our behaviour and attitude towards the drainage and sewer systems; many of the problems are caused by our abuse of the system.

The concept of taking my shower outside provides an opportunity to talk about cold water immersion, drowning prevention and the responsible use of the drainage system (all my waste shower water is watering the grass and not contributing to the volume that needs treatment). More importantly than the disposal of waste water, I'm keen to improve awareness of what can (and, critically cannot) be put into the sewer (flushed down the toilet). The most shocking statistic from my research so far; 7 tonnes of 'Non-biological Debris' (baby wipes, sanitary products, nappies, ear buds etc.) has to be removed from the waste water EVERY WEEK just from North Thanet alone!