Latest news with #RiptideRacers
BBC News
25-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Two women from Hastings raise £28k in Channel charity swim
Two friends have swum the English Channel, raising £28k for swimming lessons for disadvantaged Kedwell, 50, and Sarah Branson, 53, from Hastings, braved freezing water, strong tides, jellyfish and exhaustion to cross from Dover's Samphire Hoe to Cap Gris-Nez in France earlier this pair made the gruelling 22-mile (35.4km) journey in two relay teams - Ms Kedwell's group Blue Tide reaching its destination in 16 hours and 15 minutes, while Ms Branson's Riptide Racers clocked in at 17 hours and 34 minutes. It was an especially difficult task for Ms Branson, who admitted that 12 months ago she could barely swim a length of her local swimming pool. "I tore my meniscus a few years ago and wanted to show that, however old and broken, we can do hard things," she said. "Swimming the Channel is not just about the physical challenge, but the mental belief that you can do this. Ms Kedwell added: "When our families met us back at Dover, it was a big emotional moment."Looking out to sea and realising I swam that gave me a huge sense of pride." Each swimmer took on one-hour stints in their teams, plunging into dark, unpredictable waters from their aptly named support boat, High eventual success was due to months of dedication, early morning sea dips, endurance training and ice-cold plunges. The pair added that their friendship inspired them both to keep money raised so far will go to SwimTayka, a charity providing free swimming lessons and environmental education to underprivileged children living along the world's rivers, lakes and coasts.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Doncaster NHS practitioner to swim English Channel for charity
A healthcare worker will take part in a relay swim across the English Channel to support a charity that aims to prevent drowning Bull, an advanced medical practitioner from Doncaster, will take on the 21-mile challenge as part of a team of six women to raise money for SwimTayka, an organisation that teaches children in low-income countries how to Bull, an orthopaedics practitioner at Montagu Hospital, is also raising money for the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) said the other women on her team had been strangers but that their "love of swimming has brought us together and we are so excited for the journey ahead". Ms Bull has previously taken part in the challenging Ironman World Championships and the Ice Swimming World she said this was her first time swimming the Channel and she did not want to let down the charities or her team, who have named themselves the Riptide prepare for the challenge, she has been swimming in either a pool or open water four times a week. 'Truly inspiring' Raising money for the NHS Trust was special, she said, and she hoped it could "improve patient outcomes and working conditions for colleagues".She added the SwimTayka charity was also important to her because she felt "privileged in terms of being able to swim"."I've come across so many people who can't swim, and actually adults as well," she said."It's great they're teaching kids in undeveloped places how to do it - it's a great charity to be involved in."Suzy Brain England OBE, chair of the board at DBTH, said: "Ellie's determination and commitment, both in her clinical role and through this extraordinary fundraising challenge, are truly inspiring."On behalf of the board, we are incredibly proud of Ellie and wish her and the Riptide Racers every success as they take on the English Channel."The team will be on standby to swim between 11 and 18 July, with the exact day being chosen based on the swimming conditions. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
