This June I'll be swimming the Great North Swim 10K in Lake Windermere for OCD Action, a charity supporting people who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental disorder close to my heart.

10K is a really long way (the event is known as the swimmer's marathon) and right now it's taking all my strength to stop myself from googling 'What kind of eels live in Lake Windermere?' and 'Has there ever been a piranha sighting in the Lake District?' But, after all my training, I would be so very appreciative of your sponsorship. It's going to a worthwhile cause. Thank you!

OCD is a clinically recognised disorder which affects around 1-2% of the population. It is terrifying, debilitating and paralysing and can ruin people's lives.

If you happen to want to know more about OCD, these are great articles worth a read:

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/talk-about-ocd-and-mental-illness-rose-bretecher-543

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/14/good-morning-britain-ocd

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/31/pure-ocd-the-naked-truth