Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Think rowing club and you imagine a grand building with a balcony and most likely a bar where members relax and swap stories of glorious days on the river.  

Check out our main page to see our club facilities - Yes, 3 dilapidated portacabins.  We're trying to raise funds to replace them with something that will give our members somewhere warm and dry, changing rooms, a loo, a kitchen for a cuppa & ultimate luxury-a shower.

Isle of Ely Rowing Club is a community rowing club and we work hard to make the sport accessible to the whole community - whatever your age or fitness level. Our last learn to row course saw a father (in his 70s) and his daughter (in her 40s) join us.

A  new and exciting collaboration is our work with  The Oliver Zangwill Centre specialist rehab after brain injury to use rowing as a form of rehab. 

So, how to raise money?  I thought, well, what could I do that will really challenge me?  Why not swim?  Up until June the most I could do was around 25m!  I'm not a natural swimmer - more a splash around with the kids in the sea kind of swimmer.  Hate swimming pools but love being in the sea.

I found this place near me called Hannam's Wake Hub - run by 2 lovely blokes (Ben & Terry) - wake boarding's their passion but they open their lakes up to open water swimming a couple of times a week.  I've been going along and without the use of their lake I wouldn't have got anywhere with my training. Thanks also to Karen - she's been such a great support - she can swim! She's taken the time to swim along with me, supporting me to keep going when I've thought I must be mad doing this!

I've now managed to swim 2.4kms! So I'm prepared to give my challenge a go - I just need to keep swimming!

Hannam's have kindly offered to let me use their lake early on Saturday 8 Oct so that I can attempt to swim the full distance.  On current timings I'm going to be swimming for over 2 hours.  It won't be fast or won't be technically pretty but I'm giving it the best shot I can and hopefully I'll complete the distance.

I would really love it if you would sponsor me.  I really don't mind how much, just help me raise some much needed funds.  I'd also be so grateful if you would send this to anyone else you know who would be willing to donate to this cause.