Making a Channel Size Splash in aid of Charity

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Monday 19th Jun 2006.

Fourteen-year-old swimmer Lucy Bouverie-Brine had one thing on her mind after 11 hours and seven minutes in the pool.

The Commonweal School pupil, who had just swam 21-miles, the equivalent of the English Channel , needed a pizza.

“I was starving,” she said. “I just couldn’t wait for it to be over, I was so tired. The time just seemed to be going really slowly.”

The youngster, from Old Town , completed her mammoth swim at the Link Centre last Saturday to raise nearly £500 for a Gambian school.

Lucy was picked together with a group of other students to visit the African country and as part of the trip the pupils have to raise some cash. The money will be split 50-50 between travel expenses and funding new equipment for the school they will be visiting. Lucy, who swims seven times a week, had to do 1, 344 lengths to complete the 21 miles. She said: “I’m really pleased I did it.”

For the last 300 lengths fellow Swindon Dolphin ASC swimmer Sarah Baker, 15, joined her in the pool as a pacemaker.

Lucy said: “That really helped me get through the last part.”

Mum Claire, 44, said: “Obviously we’re very, very proud, she did really well.

“Just before half way she was struggling then I think she got a second wind and off she went again.

“Sarah helped her finish so she was a bit of a heroine as well.”

She added: “I just can’t believe she hasn’t got any aches now and she didn’t need that much sleep either.”