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British Gas Great North Swim 2012

22 - 24 June 2012

Well here I go – Its fund raising time again!

It’s been over 3 years now since Steven and I took on the mighty 6,000m peak Stok Kangri in Northern India to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of my late father. The time has come to dust of the Just Giving site, get the sponsor forms in the post, and get active again.

The decision to partake in the Great North Swim was born out of many hours spent kayaking on Lake Windermere, the fear of what happens if I suffer an impromptu capsize would my swimming ability be good enough, and even more so the fact that each year this fantastic event is right here on our own doorstep !

If there wasn’t an element of fear, and a certain amount of effort involved then it wouldn’t be a challenge.....hence my training has begun, over the winter months I will be making good use of the pool at Windermere Manor Hotel, and once spring arrives and the lake warms up it will be time to adorn the wetsuit and undertake some open water swimming in Windermere.

For anyone signing up to partake in the Great North Swim there are a selection of charities one of which as a fund raiser you chose to support, for me the choice was an obvious one – for the last 12 years as a therapist I have provided treatments at The Windermere Manor Hotel – a hotel which caters for the visually impaired and their loyal, faithful and hard working Guide Dogs without whom life for many would be so difficult. Over those years I have made some wonderful and special friends – both human and canine! – It’s now time to do my little bit to help all my lovely friends with Guide Dogs!

On 15 December my Mother-in-Law Jean lost her husband Bruce. Bruce really was unique, despite being a double amputee, suffering from diabetes and numerous heart problems we rarely heard him complain and we could always rely on Bruce for some timeless humour. Until ill health dominated his life Bruce spent many happy hours fishing on Lake Windermere - My part in The Great North Swim on 24 June 2012 is dedicated to the memory of Bruce Wilson.

Due to the fact that I will have returned from a jungle trek in Borneo one week before the Great North Swim and cannot anticipate my health on arrival back in the UK therefore I have opted to partake in the ½ mile swim, (½ in open water is equal to a mile in a pool.)

For more details please contact me Julie Brockbank on 015394 4690 or 07990614836

E-mail: julie@lakesholistic.co.uk or everest.trekker@hotmail.co.uk

Any money raised can be paid directly to the charity on this just giving website.

Or you can text from your mobile phone, just text JGNS63 followed by the amount to this number70070

Cheques can be made out to: Guide Dogs and sent to Julie Brockbank C/o 1 Broadfield Close, Troutbeck Bridge. Windermere. Cumbria. LA23 1JD

My Guide Dogs for the Blind Supporter Reference number is: 11501660

Please share my sponsor form with your friends and family and help me raise vital funds for a worthy charity. Thank you so much