Posted on 10th May
Four heroes are aiming to swim the English Channel for the first time to raise funds for Dementia UK.
With a combined age of 226, the team may set a new world record for being the oldest mixed relay quadruplet to take on the relay Channel swim.
On 3rd July the Newark fundraisers will take to the waters for what is anticipated to be a 16-hour swim from the south coast of England to the north coast of France.
The team is being supported by Newark’s largest employer, Bakkavor. It is providing essential equipment for the big day, sponsoring their swimwear, and supporting the local heroes with their recovery afterwards.
One of the swimming team, Phil Field, is a long-serving Bakkavor employee and he approached the business for support, as part of its community investment programme in and around Newark.
Phil is being joined by Pete Moyes, Theresa Tomlinson, and Anne Marie Lawrence for the challenge.
They all have a close relationship with the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), with Pete a former president and Theresa being an active volunteer.
The group has swimming recreationally in cold waters for a number of years — but 2022 marks their biggest challenge yet in crossing the Channel.
Dementia UK is a charity particularly close to hearts of the team, who each have loved ones who have been affected by dementia.
Phil, OPEX manager at Bakkavor, said: “If you had told me five years ago that I’d be swimming the Channel I wouldn’t have believed you, but once the seed was sown, we just swam with it!
“The training has been intense and it’s rewarding to see our progress. It’s amazing how the body can adapt — from the shock of my first cold water swim to where we are now.”
Phil is also fundraising at Newark Bakkavor for the Balderton Salvation Army and the company is donating £450 to the charity.
Andrzej Szokalski, general manager at Bakkavor Desserts Newark, added: “We are so proud to see Phil, a valued and long-standing member of our Bakkavor team, take on such an impressive and commendable challenge.
“We are really pleased to be sponsoring the event and we have had a lot of fun sourcing all the equipment, from swimming hats to energy gels — whatever we can do to help the team cross the finish line.”
To support the swimmers go to www.justgiving.com/team/RobinHoodswimmers
