I am swimming as part of a team for 24 hours to raise money so that more children can experience that first splash and the joy of gliding through water.

Swimming is like nothing else. The skills you develop, the confidence you build and the joys you feel are all universal. Yet access to swimming in the UK is not. Being able to swim is also a great life safety skill.

Level Water, a charity use the power of swimming to improve lives for children with disabilities. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water.

Swimming has been a major constant in my life from learning to swim at Mill Hill open air pool when I was 8, listening to Hey Jude and other great songs at the pool on our transisters in my teens, swimming at Marshall Street Baths, Soho when working in St James's, Hungerford leisure centre as my girls grew up and now open water swimming at Lake 32. Plus the sea whenever possible. Swimming has given me such pleasure. I now also volunteer with disabled children so swimming is the perfect charity for me to support for my 70th Birthday challenge. I have never swam at night before so that will be a first.