A group of six friends from Hurstpierpoint are attempting one of the hardest swim challenges in the world - the English Channel - in a relay for a brilliant cause. The six are Zoe Collins, Guy Lovegrove, Sally O’Connor, Claire Grose, Tim Garnett and Cath Barton-Smith.

Known as the Aspire Sussex Sea Turtles, all six friends have a love of outdoor swimming and will attempt to swim the 22 miles from the British coast to Northern France at the end of September to raise money for people who have sustained a spinal injury. Every four hours someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury. Aspire is a national charity providing practical support from injury to independence.

Life can change in an instant and it can happen to anyone. Having met with Paula Craig, who was supported by Aspire when she suffered life-changing injuries, the team were inspired to take on the challenge.

“After meeting with Paula we’re all excited and determined to cross the channel together and raise money for Aspire,” says Zoe, “an amazing charity that helped Paula so much with her recovery and continues to support her and others in so many ways. Although I suspect Guy is primarily coming because he thinks he’ll get cheap wine and cheese on the other side!”

Each of them must swim in strict order for an hour at a time until they reach the French coast. They can wear only swimming costumes and are not allowed wetsuits or any artificial aids!

The next nine months will mean intense training for the team as they work on their swimming skills in the pool as well as getting used to swimming in the low temperatures of the Channel. By July the team will have had to have swum two hours in the sea at a temperature of less than 16 degrees to prepare them for the day when they are called to Dover for their Channel attempt.

They’ve already started their training in the sea!
Paul Parrish, Director of Fundraising and Marketing

for Aspire, the charity benefitting from the Sea Turtles’ heroic efforts, said: “We are so grateful to the team
for their commitment. Their hard efforts will be so important to us, and they have pledged to raise over £10,000. This will have such a positive impact on the lives of those with spinal injury. Over the past ten years our Channel Swims have raised over £1,000,000 and it’s great to start the decade being supported by the Sea Turtles.”

To commence their fundraising efforts, the Sea Turtles will be holding a Pop Up Charity Shop at 40 High Street, Hurstpierpoint (formerly Olive Antiques next door to Morleys) on Saturday 8th February 10am – 4pm. Please go along to support them on the day and help launch their fundraising efforts, have a chat to the team and enjoy tea/coffee and cake.

If you have anything you’d like to donate for the sale please contact Cath on 07816 932559.

If you wish to donate to their worthy cause please go to their fundraising page on JustGiving:- www.justgiving.com/team/SussexSeaTurtles