Anyone who knows me, knows I like a challenge and love being in water! This is my most bonkers idea so far. I am embarking on a relay swim from Dover to France across the Channel. In no particular order I am terrified of jelly fish, the dark, deep water, ferries and seasickness! However, when I heard about the spinal cord injuries charity Aspire and spent a day at their rehab centre back in November. I realised the fear of a chilly dip across the channel will be worth it!

Latest figures suggest every two hours in the UK someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury; it can happen to anyone at any time. Most spinal injuries have been sustained by people aged 21 to 30; nearly three quarters of new spinal cord injury patients are male. No one is prepared for how it will change their life. Aspire exists because there is currently no cure. Aspire provide practical help, supporting spinal injured people from injury to independence. Aspire receive no government funding, so every penny you raise is vital to them. https://www.aspire.org.uk/our-purpose

So on 1st June I passed the obligatory qualifying swim in Dover harbour - swim 1.5 hours in 13 degrees C and choppy waters and windy weather, out to warm up and recover from what felt like hypothermia for 1.5 hours then back in to swim for another 1 hours (no wet suit, no gloves, no booties, only swimsuit, hat and goggles). This means I'm all set to swim with my team Jaguar on 18th August - Look out France here I come!

Oh and here is a photo of one of my training sessions in the Channel with Border Force control ship on the horizon :)))