News

Four brave individuals are gearing up to swim the English Channel on 16 August 2020, all to raise vital funds for Seashell Trust.

Gemma Hodgson, James Lord and Andrew Mossford, from Together Money, and Daniel Owen-Parr, from VAS Group, will take on the Channel as part of a four man relay. The four will be following the original Captain Webb rules during the swim, including no wetsuits or flotation aids, and aim to complete the relay in around 15 hours.

Less than 900 teams have ever completed the famous open-water swim, one of the most challenging in the world due to the changing tides, jellyfish and the cold water. The Channel is also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with approximately 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing through every day.

The pandemic presented a major challenge to the four, who have been unable to train over recent months, however due to the easing of lockdown they have returned more determined than ever to raise funds for their chosen charity.

Seashell Trust, based in Cheadle Hulme, is dedicated to providing a creative, happy and secure environment for children and young people with complex and severe learning disabilities which include little or no language abilities.

Funds raised from the swim will be put towards the vital services that the charity provides for their students.

Senior Manager at Seashell Trust, Rachel McCrystal, said “With so many events being cancelled this year, meaning a drop in vital funds for the charity, we are extremely grateful for the dedication ‘Team Hotel’ have shown! We can’t thank them enough for taking on the Channel swim”.

National Partnerships Manager at Together Money, Gemma Hodgson, commented “We are delighted to be raising funds for Seashell Trust! Following a visit last year, we saw first-hand the fantastic work the team are doing to encourage and support their students.”

“I have seen with my own eyes that the environment created by the team at Seashell allows students to express themselves, become more independent and live creative, fulfilling lives.”

“With the big swim looming, the nerves are setting in. This is unknown territory and not something many individuals have accomplished. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration. But, with a strong team spirit and a great cause to be raising funds for, I’m positive we will beat the tide and make it to France!”

Team Hotel’s fundraising page can be found here: https://bit.ly/2WGBwQw.