The Jane Tomlinson Appeal was established by the late Jane Tomlinson CBE to raise funds for children's and cancer charities.
Our Fundraisers
Webbed Feat's Channel Relay Swim 2010
Channel swimming and, it seems, all forms of open-water swimming are gaining in popularity these days. Clearly, 'enjoying' the challenge of swimming in cold water, with nothing but a swim cap, goggles and trunks/costume (no wetsuits allowed!), whilst contending with currents, jellyfish, sea sickness, and crossing the two busiest shipping channels in the world, is catching the imagination of more and more people.
Two teams of six are hoping to swim the Channel this summer to help raise money for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal. What makes this a slightly more unusual challenge is that all but one of those involved are still at school. At the time of their Channel attempts they will be aged between 13 and 18 years of age; the only adult is Sue La Roche, a local swim teacher.
They started training last September and managed a few outdoor sessions last year before the water temperature dropped too low, but started open-water swimming again in May this year, with their first dip outside in water of only 10 degrees.
Some of the team are members of their local swim clubs, but those who aren't have had to organize their own training sessions, and everyone is now training on average for five hours a week spread over four sessions to help prepare themselves for the task ahead.
Many of the twelve individuals didn't know each other prior to joining the teams, coming from different schools and school years, but now they are together under the team names of 'Webbed Feat' and 'Dover-n-Over' and have formed a cohesive and strong group.
As well as practising in open water, they are trying to experience and train for the sort of conditions they will encounter on the swim itself, so they are practising swimming in the dark - the picture (coming soon) shows all twelve swimmers on the beach at Anderby Creek, just north of Skegness, just before having a go at their first night swim. As you can see from the photograph, it was windy, but what you can't see are the waves crashing onto the shore immediately behind them, nor can you hear the thunderous noise they made. Despite all this, all twelve plucked up the courage to have a go and all enjoyed (or seemed to!) the experience.
The swimmers are; Katie Treadwell, Chris Bainbridge, Zak Smith, Sam Bainbridge, Chelsea Strickland, James Harrison, Tim Robinson, Will Scrupps, Annabel Wilson, Kate Sutton, Kathryn Eccles and Sue la Roche.
The team members and their parents are sharing all the costs of the pilot boat, the skipper and crew, and the costs of the official observer, so that every penny they raise goes directly to the Jane Tomlinson Appeal. So, as well as training hard, they have also been thinking hard on how to raise money; Kate, Tim and Chelsea, along with friends and family, raised over £300 in a bag-packing session at their local Asda. Kate and her school class also raised £56 in a cake sale, another of which she has planned for next month. Kate also raised £53 organising a teachers' tennis tournament and selling strawberries and cream at her school. Chelsea and her Mum held a car boot sale and they continue to be busy with fundraising ideas and events, hoping to raise over £5,000 for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.
The two teams are set to cross the channel sometime between the 1st and 10th of July, which is their 'tide slot'. We wish them a calm sea and all the very best.
If you would like to support their Channel Relay Swim and the incredible effort being made by these youngsters in raising money for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, you can donate by going to their respective team’s Justgiving.com pages at www.justgiving.com/webbedfeat and www.justgiving.com/dover-n-over. Please leave them a message of support if you do! They are hoping to raise over £5,000.