A group of four amputees will be braving temperatures as low as 18°C to swim the English Channel as a relay team in September this year.
In order to be allowed to take on the challenge, the team will have to complete a confirmatory swim – a continuous swim of at least two hours in open water which will take place on Saturday 21 June from Swimmer’s Beach near Dover.
Craig Howorth, Stephen White, Jamie Gillespie and Conrad Thorpe will be abiding by the Official Channel Swimming Association rules, which do not make any special dispensations for amputees. The men will not be allowed to wear wetsuits and have chosen not to wear their prosthetic limbs.
Stephen, a keen swimmer, approached Jamie, his prosthetist, to see if he was interested in taking part. Jamie then contacted Conrad and Craig was recruited from a BLESMA bulletin that was put out to Members. As the team are based all over the UK, apart from Conrad who lives in East Africa, they have been training separately, but are due to come together for a qualifying swim in June to confirm that they are fit enough to take on the challenge. Craig, Stephen and Jamie took part in the Chillswim Coniston in the Lake District in September last year – a 5.25 mile open-water swim as part of their training.
Annette Hall, Head of Fundraising at BLESMA says: “For BLESMA Members to make up the first all-amputee Channel Swim team is something special, but for them to also be fundraising for us is fantastic. Everyone at BLESMA is fully behind them as they attempt this challenge and join me in wishing them the best in their endeavour.”
BLESMA – The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless service men and women, their widows and dependants. It was formed in the years following the First World War and became a national charity in 1932.