The Dover Souls, better known as Sam, Angus, Jassy and Saz, are (hopefully!) doing a relay swim of the English Channel in July 2023 - 21 miles (33 kms) as the crow flies, but potentially a lot more with the tides! We will be chaperoned across by Reg and Ray on ye olde Viking Princess 2 (see photo 2) - not sure what happened to Viking Princess 1...

To say we came into this clueless is an understatement but once the reality of the challenge set in, training geared up. The last few months have been dominated by endless lengths, cold water swims and becoming very familiar with everyone at our local leisure centres...

None of us are known for our swimming prowess (see photos 3-6), so it's been a lot of hard work so far and we've got a long way to go. However, we are all motivated by the personal challenge, and our desire to help an amazing cause.

We are raising to support the incredible work of Street Child. Street Child is an organisation that aims to ensure that all children are safe, in school and learning – especially in low-resource environments and emergencies. Street Child works in over 20 countries, across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Europe, helping to see that children in the most marginalised populations have the opportunity to learn. To date, Street Child has reached >902,999 children, >412,955 of which were directly supported to access education. (https://www.street-child.org)

We, and Street Child, would be so grateful for any donation big or small, and it will massively help us through the early morning swims for the next few months!

A huge thank you, Sam, Angus, Jassy and Saz.

Donations:

£33 - could provide an emergency affected learner in Somalia with school meals for a year. School meals are a key aspect in the retention of students in school as the one meal they receive a day at school could sadly be the only meal they have all day.

£50 - could provide a family of 5 living in a camp for people displaced by conflict in North-East Nigeria with a food relief package to last a month, ensuring the family do not go hungry and that the children do not return to school on an empty stomach.

£100 - could provide one household in Sierra Leone with livelihood support, including training and a start-up business grant, enabling them to financially recover from the pandemic and afford the costs of sending their children back to school.

Fun facts about an "English Channel attempt" as affectionately described by the Channel Swimming Association (governing body):

- The official distance is 21 miles (33 kms). However, this changes according to the tides.

- Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the Channel, ended up swimming around 35 miles (56 kms) due to rough conditions, and Jackie Cobell swam an incredible 65 miles (105 kms) after being swept off course!

- It is a timed relay format; each person swims 1 hour at a time, rotating through until we do or don't hit the natural shore of France

- The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world with >500 vessels per day

- Since the first recorded Channel swim in 1875, there have been 1,731 successful Channel swim crossings. More people have summited Everest than swum the Channel

- For a swim to be officially recognised, you cannot wear a wetsuit! In fact, the only equipment you are allowed is a swimming hat, goggles, a nose clip, ear plugs and your costume

- This can make the official Channel swim very chilly! During July/August the temperature of the water can be between 14°C (57°F) – 16°C (61°F), however, temperatures have been as low as 6°C!

- To keep warm, we are allowed to grease ourselves for insulation. The most commonly used is goose fat. Hmmmmm....

- The swimmer receives no help and must not be touched by anyone during a swim

- We anticipate to set off well before day break. Imagine swimming the ocean in pitch-black!

... wish us luck!