Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. The success of this venture depends on good-hearted people like you.

The  Latest Event:  In conjunction with 5 other senior swimmers we broke the Guinness World Record for the oldest relay team to swim the English Channel.  The average age of the team members was 77 years and 3 months. We set off on 8th October 2023 when the wind and tide was right.  The good news is, we're using this new event to add to the money already raised for the Teddington to Calais event as the charities are the same.  The five other swimmers were Kevin Murphy, Chris Stockdale, Bob Roberts, Robert Lloyd-Evans and Don Riddington.

The previous World Record was and average of 73 years, which is younger than this team's youngest swimmer (Andy).

The  Original Event:  In June 2012 I planned to swim from Teddington through the centre of London to Southend, the around the Kent coast to Dover and then finally across the English Channel to Calais.  This never happened because just 3 weeks before the event I broke my neck and was paralysed from the neck down.  However, the surgeons at Addenbrooke's put me back together again and I am very lucky to have made a substantial recovery. So much so that the swim was re-scheduled to start on 19th July 2013. This swim had never been done before and follows on from my World record swim of the entire length of the non-tidal River Thames in 2005.  The swim website is http://www.teddingtontocalais2012.org.uk/ and I hope you will enjoy reading it.  My fundraising target for the swim is a cool £100,000!

The Charities:  You may wish to visit the Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre  (HMSTC) website for full information on the work they carry out.  Multiple Sclerosis is a terrible disease which can affect any one of us.  It does not discriminate and could strike you or your family.     The direct donations to this charity are now closed. 

 There are so many worthy causes that picking just one is almost impossible!  I am therefore simultaneously raising £50,000 for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust. (EHAAT)
Like HMSTC, EHAAT does not discriminate between who will benefit when their service is needed and they are funded purely by public donations so please dig deep and sponsor me online. Who knows, one day it may help someone close to you.

Now something EXTRA; 

The Autograph Book:  A record of 'People of our Time'.

I believe this is something completely new and I hope it will help me to reach my target.  Any donor (including you) who sponsors £1,000 or more will qualify to have their signature appear in Section One of the Autograph Book alongside the signatures of royalty, the rich, the famous (and perhaps the infamous).  Section 2Two is for anyone whose name alone will enhance the value of the book but may not have qualified for Section One.  People who have given their support include; Olympic Director, Danny Boyle, ex-Mayor of London - Boris Johnson, Ex-Archbishop of Canterbury - Dr. Rowan Williams, singer - Dame Vera Lynn, D.B.E., actress - Virginia McKenna O.B.E., actress - Elizabeth Taylor, supercar designer (Zonda) - Horacio Pagani, astronomer - Sir Patrick Moore, writer and broadcaster - Barry Norman C.B.E., sculptor and artist - John W. Mills, dancer and actor - Len Goodman, writer - Ken Follett and British Prime Ministers - John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown & David Cameron.  When the swim is completed and all the sponsorship is in, the autographs will be beautifully mounted one per page, then stitched  into a wonderful leather  bound volume. It seems the Book will run into a number of volumes as there are already over 470 contributors!  Finally, the album will be auctioned and the amount of the winning bid will be added to the other donations for the charities.  A second original copy will eventually be donated to the British library.  So, to have you your autograph published with those of the great and the good, just find some way of making up £1000 or more.  In the meantime, for those of you with more meagre budgets, please still donate below to boost the amount raised and keep the paramedics and the helicopter in the air, and help the MS sufferers!  You can read all about me, the swim and much, much more at http://www.teddingtontocalais2012.org.uk, the official swim website.

 Additionally:   many celebrities and companies have donated items to be sold to raise yet more money for the charities.  See the lots in the Auction List'  from the Home Page of the swim website.  Then email me a bid for any lot that takes your fancy.

The Sponsorship:   Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me:  The success of this venture depends on good-hearted people like you.
Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust will receive your money for Teddington to Calais 2012 faster and, if you are a taxpayer, an extra 25% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. You can donate from countries around the World. But please, whether you have decided to sponsor me or not, you can help me further by forwarding this webpage address by email to other people you know, recommending they make a donation and then forward the webpage address to their friends and contacts. Whether it's just one person, 10 people or your entire email directory, please hit the 'Forward' button. Many thanks for your donation and for your support.