Date: 7th July, 2017
Three Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighters are getting ready to swim the English Channel – and it’s all for a very good cause.
Chris Mitchell from Springbourne fire station, Jon Pattison from Poole, and Justin Rolls from Weymouth, will swim in relay for an hour each at a time, all to raise money for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.
Jon’s mum Pam was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April and was given just three months to live. Despite the worst possible prognosis, she and the whole family have received amazing care and support from the hospice team in Stoke-on-Trent.
To start the Channel swim fundraising, a charity car wash is being held at Springbourne fire station on Saturday 15 July between 10am and 4pm.
Donations to the team can also be made online via https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dwfire2017channelrelay
Chris Mitchell said: “This is an official swim, and we will be abiding by the strict rules set by the Channel Swimming Association. We won’t be wearing wetsuits, and most likely we will have to swim through the night, making it an even tougher challenge. The intention had been to do this in the last full week of July, but we are now going to make an attempt on 10 July, subject to weather and tidal conditions, as a slot has come available. If it doesn’t happen for whatever reason, then we know we can try again in a couple of weeks.”
He added: “Jon and his family are getting such wonderful support from the hospice, and we know that there are so many other families getting the same care in the face of life-limiting illness. As such, we want to raise as much money as we can to help make a difference.”