On the 14th of July myself and my fabulous friends Ellie and Ellen are undertaking the Plymouth breakwater swim! This is a 3.2km sea swim starting at Plymouth breakwater and ending at Mount Batten beach.

The three of us regularly swim during our lunch break and decided that we wanted a challenge! The breakwater swim is organised by the Chestnut Appeal who provide support to patients with Prostate, Penile and Testicular cancer, and their families.

For me (Beth) there is a very personal motivation for this challenge and that is to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice. St Luke’s are an incredible charity that provide care and support for those with progressive, life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families.

In July 2022, my Dad passed away from stomach cancer at St Luke’s Hospice. The hospice provided a peaceful and safe environment for our family to see Dad, as well as space to wait with one another when he needed rest. The kind of care he received there was truly remarkable. The staff were immensely caring, not only to Dad but to my family as well. At one particularly challenging moment one of the nurses paused to give me a hug and I cried in her arms in the corridor. It was amazing to receive such empathy in a situation they must be so used to.

After Dad’s passing, my mum and I also received continued support from the charity for many months.

Places like St Luke’s are such a treasure and should always be protected. Your donations can help keep this amazing place running and support families in the heartbreak that cancer and other life-limiting illnesses bring.

Sea swimming was a particular comfort to me in Dad’s last week, and it was something we often talked about when I visited him. He always encouraged and took great delight in my love of the sea, so it will be a wonderful way to honour him - swimming back to the shore of Mount Batten where he spent his last days.

To say thank you the Chestnut Appeal, we are setting a fundraising goal of £250. We will then donate the rest of the money to St Luke’s.

All three of us are so excited to be taking part in the swim and fundraising for such important charities. Thank you so much for your support!

Photos: Me and Dad on our last trip to the coast together. Ellen, Ellie and I getting ready for a lunch swim 😊