Back in March 2020 I was due to complete triple 5k in a Swimathon event, raising money for Cancer Research in memory of Granny. Some of you may have already made a donation to the Swimathon page before COVID put a stop to it... but its time to bring the big swim back, but make it just a bit harder.....

I am going to swim a length of the Menai Strait! 24km in some of the most complex tidal water in the UK, starting from Beaumaris and finishing at Aber Menai Point. Full of seaweed, jelly fish and.... seals! (Don't worry, I have a fleet of friends coming to paddle alongside and scare the seals off.) The aim is to do it on a day in the first week of September, however a specific date will be chosen as more accurate weather forcasts come available.

But why now? Simply, life's thrown a few spanners lately and I have learnt the importance of a number of charities over the last few months... theres quite a few, I couldn't choose which ones so there's the option to donate to any of the four!

First is Cancer Research UK. Initially swimathon was to raise money in memory of Granny. Well the last few months has been a stark reminder of how prevalent cancer is, with a number of diagnoses being rather close to home. The latest, Mum. Back in April this year she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Mum is part way through chemotherapy at the moment and has a long road ahead, but the outlook is still sounding positive. This has been the main driving factor behind the Menai Strait Swim.

Secondly, Dementia UK. Over the past few years we have watched dementia slowly take over our other Grannie. It's been really tough, going to visit not knowing if we will be remembered, but we know Grannie is still in there somewhere.

Next, the Lyme Resource Centre. This charity aims to educate all about lyme disease, which is carried by ticks in the outdoors. Another super inspirational woman in my life is my Auntie Jane. She was the one who got me into swimming in the first place. Jane is currently awaiting treatment for suspected Lymes diease. It has taken months of chasing appointments and testing to finally come to this potential conclusion and we remain hopeful that antibiotic treatment is going to get Jane's life back.

Finally the Tom Furey Memorial Trust. Tom was a fantastic role model, who I feel very privileged to have learnt from and spent time with in the outdoors prior to a devestating accident out in the hills in June 2022. His fiancee and closest friends have set up the chairty to continue his legacy by supporting people to be able to participate in outdoor courses.

4 fantastic charities, I just couldn't chose one. If you feel you can, I would be extremely grateful for any donations to which ever charity you choose! Anyway, now I better get some swimming done!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.