Back in October last year, several students from Bishop Luffa held a fundraiser like no other. To raise money for King House charity, Breast Cancer, several members of the house held a relay swim at Westbourne covering the entire 21.2 miles of the English Channel. Each swimmer was sponsored for the number of lengths they swam. The team managed to raise over £700.

This event sparked off another challenging fundraising event. Charlotte Wood of 11 King had the idea of swimming the actual freezing cold channel. This is were the 'Channel Mermaids' were born. Charlotte Wood, Katherine Wood, Naomi Harris, Meghan Carter and Myself are now members of the Channel Mermaids Relay Swim Team. "We hope to swim the channel in the summer of 2009 but have been training since the beginning of this year. It's been tough though because Kayleigh and I have had exams so training had to go on hold for a while" says Charlotte Wood.

The Channel Mermaids have their own team clothing, (including bright pink swim caps!) a team web site and also a Facebook page. The girls and I had our 1st experience of sea swimming last month at Pagham Yacht Club. "I'm not so worried about the coldness anymore, but more about what's lu rking beneath me and the huge ships cruising past! says Meghan Carter.

We intend to go to Pagham Yacht Club each week during the summer holidays to get used to swimming in the sea as it is much different compared to the swimming pool. The team will also have to train in Dover to experience what it will be like on the day of the swim. Westgate Leisure Centre have gratefully allowed the Channel Mermaids to train in their pool and at their gym each week up till the swim next year. As well as this we have been advised to eat healthy and maintain our general fitness by doing regular exercise.

Being a member of the team, I'm very much looking forward to the swim as it is a once in a life time opportunity and also I get along very well with all my team mates so it will be challenging but also a great laugh! We would like to thank Nick Adams (channel swim organiser) Chris Luckham (trainer) and all the members of Bishop Luffa PE Department for all their support so far.

Kayleigh Carter, Year 12

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