In 2018, as some of you know, I swam the English Channel. It was a challenge I had wanted to complete since I was little and I was able to use it as an opportunity to raise funds for Surfers Against Sewage – supporting them in continuing their incredible work to improve the quality of the marine environment. The generosity from you lot was phenomenal and with your help I was able to raise a fantastic amount of money. However, not content with appealing for your hard-earned pennies once, I am asking again because I decided that another personal challenge was in order. I am going to attempt to swim the North Channel – from Ireland to Scotland. The North Channel swim covers a distance of 21.5 miles; similar to the English Channel but with the main difference of it being colder and rougher. Water temperatures are expected to be between 10 and 14 degrees at the time of my swim and with abrupt changes in weather and sea conditions and the high likelihood of encountering jellyfish (offering a very nasty sting) it is regarded as one of the toughest distance swims in the world. I am appealing for sponsorship on behalf of the British Red Cross – and here’s why:

You may be aware of the humanitarian crisis occurring in Yemen. In a nation of nearly 29 million people, 22 million need humanitarian aid. 2 million have been displaced and at least 10,000 have died. The economy and healthcare systems are in disarray meaning infectious diseases such as cholera and diphtheria are uncontrolled and highly prevalent, whilst doctors and other healthcare workers have not been paid since 2016. Most of the skilled workforce have left the country and those who stay risk their own lives and operate with no salary. Here, the British Red Cross works with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Yemen Red Crescent to provide food, clean water, medical resources and essential household items such as blankets, water containers and soap along with free emergency medical care.
It’s not just in Yemen…
With conflict in Syria now in its eighth year, over 13 million need help: more than 11.6 million people have fled their homes because of fighting and over 5 million now live as refugees. The British Red Cross is assisting in providing over 580,000 food items and over 1.5 million other essentials such as blankets and mattresses.
These are just a couple of examples of how our world is struggling. The British Red Cross works closely with local aid groups throughout the world to assist those in need. They tackle a huge range of issues including people trafficking, reuniting refugee families and the improvement of local skills and infrastructure through livestock farming and agriculture. And for those who are not interested in foreign affairs and prefer to see the effects of charity first hand, the British Red Cross is active in the UK too – working to combat loneliness, providing monetary aid and offering support to UK victims of terror. They encourage a return to independence for those coming home from hospital by giving care and support in the home, and are active in educating communities in first aid skills and emergency preparedness training.
I don’t pretend to know the complexities of all these situations, home or abroad, but I do know that at least some of the challenges faced by those experiencing hardship can be lessened. As an individual my own influence is never going to be spectacular. Yet even before I wanted to swim the English Channel I have wanted to change the world. I hear stories about people suffering unnecessarily because of situations beyond their control and it breaks my heart that I am not able to change that for them.

But luckily, it’s not just me.

The population of the world is made up of millions of individuals – and that includes you! So I am asking for sponsorship (again) because I personally can’t reach all the people who need help. However, with the platform this charity has created, with their contacts and connections around the globe, the British Red Cross is able to positively influence the lives of people who are, at present, without hope.

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