The post Great North Swim appeared first on Winston's Wish Events.

Ambassador Ghislaine will be taking part in Hyde Park’s Swim Serpentine this September. A keen swimmer, 26-year-old Ghislaine will be raising funds for Winston’s Wish when she completes a one-mile swim in one of London’s most famous parks.

Ghislaine explains what inspired her to combine her love for swimming with raising funds for Winston’s Wish. She says, “My dad died in a car accident when I was just a week old. I don’t remember him and struggled a great deal with my grief growing up. I never received any formal support, so in hearing about Winston’s Wish I wanted to get involved to help other young people like me.

“I have now seen the amazing impact that Winston’s Wish has on young people first-hand and can honestly say that I wish I had heard about them sooner. Even just with me being involved with other areas of the organisation, it has helped me to grow and learn about my grief and within myself – something I didn’t expect to still be doing at the age of 26.”

Estimates suggest that more than 100 young people are bereaved of a parent each day and that figure doesn’t equate the children and young adults who are coping with the death of a sibling, relative, friend or another significant individual.

Ghislaine is a keen swimmer and has found a passion for the activity throughout her grief. She comments, “I grew up swimming and always loved water sports. It is also a personal connection to my dad, as he swam when he was growing up too.

“I like to do a charity challenge every year, but this is the first physical one I have done. I wanted to push myself to get back into swimming, which is one of the reasons I chose to do this challenge.

“After stepping away from the pool for quite a few years, I’m definitely not what I used to be! My main focus within my training is to build up my stamina so that I can swim with good endurance!

Want to take part in your own challenge?

Feel inspired by Ghislaine’s Swim Serpentine event? Then head over to our official events page and choose a challenge that suits you. Whether that be swimming, walking, running or cycling, we’ve got you covered!

The post Ambassador Ghislaine, “When I was in the water, I forgot that I was the girl without a dad” appeared first on Winston's Wish Events.

In June Katherine Kay completed an intense, 40-day swim challenge in memory of her big-hearted best friend Amy. Finishing on 24th June on what would have been Amy’s 40th Birthday, Katherine swam an amazing 40 miles in 40 days, raising an incredible £4,372.80 for Winston’s Wish.

We asked Katherine to tell us more about her fundraising, the challenge itself and how she celebrated Amy’s life with her parents and family.

Tell us about your swim for Winston’s Wish and how you came up with the idea.

I wanted to do something to honour Amy and mark her 40th birthday in some way. I live near the beach and love swimming in the sea – as did Amy – so I thought that a swim challenge would be fitting.

Why did you choose to support Winston’s Wish?

Winston’s Wish has been a huge support to Amy’s husband and two boys. When I asked Amy’s family to suggest charities to donate to, they said Winston’s Wish and APP (Action on Postpartum Psychosis), which has also been incredibly supportive to them.

How did you find fundraising and was it difficult to raise such a fantastic amount?

I was so surprised at how generous people were when it came to their donations. One man donated £500! I sent the link to my sponsorship page out on many social media channels and WhatsApp groups, plus got some local press coverage.

Did you have to make any changes to your plans due to Covid-19?

On the final day of the swim (Amy’s birthday), her parents had hired a function room on the beach to meet and celebrate Amy/the end of my swim. Due to the rules changing, this had to be cancelled, but we put up a gazebo on the beach instead (luckily, the weather was kind to us).

What did you enjoy most about your swim challenge and what was the worst part?

During my swims, I loved that I had time to think about Amy and remember the fun we’d had together. With everyday life, there are so many distractions – kids, work, etc – but when I was swimming, I was alone with my thoughts. I also loved meeting new people who got in touch from a local swim group and wanted to swim with me. The worst part was probably the days when I got up 5am (to fit in the swim before the school run) and the conditions were windy and rainy, and the current strong. But I also enjoyed the challenge of these mornings – it would have been boring if every swim was on a millpond!

Huge thanks to Katherine for her support and congratulations on completing such a fantastic challenge!

Feel inspired?

Has Katherine’s story inspired you to dive in and conquer a challenge of you own? Let us know as we’d love to shout about your success, simply get in touch and tell us about your upcoming fundraiser!

The post Katherine’s swim challenge to honour best friend Amy appeared first on Winston's Wish Events.