‘Great’ charity plunge
DOZENS of daring school children have taken the plunge to help a variety of good causes.
A team of pupils from Beech Hall School are celebrating after completing the Great North Swim earlier this month.
More than 30 youngsters from the Tytherington school participated in the event, with the youngest children taking part in a 250m swim in Lake Windermere.
In preparation for the gruelling challenge, the students were put through an intensive training regime to be in tip-top shape on the day.
Some of the participants used the opportunity to raise money for a charity of their choice.
Blake Lyons, nine has autism and a rare condition called cyclic vomiting syndrome.
Since he was diagnosed at the age of four he has been treated at Macclesfield Hospital.
After deciding to take on the half-mile swim Blake told his mum he wanted to use the opportunity to raise money for the children’s ward, as a thank you.
And he has managed to surpass his target by raising more than £510 for the hospital so far.
His mum, Claire Lyons, told the Express that Blake is a determined young man and she is proud of his impressive achievement.
She said: “It was just after Christmas when he said he would like to raise money for the hospital because they have been fantastic with him over the years. It was all his own idea.”
The mum-of-two added: “I had to get in the water as well, as a chaperone, as we did it as a family to support him because it is what he wanted to do.
“I am incredibly proud of him.”
Headmaster James Allen said he was proud of all the pupils for taking part in the challenge.
He said: “Our pupils have excelled incredibly in this challenging yet rewarding task.
“Their motivation to push themselves has been evident throughout the rigorous training process.
“The Great North Swim presented the perfect opportunity for the children to personally challenge themselves, allowing them to develop their own skills and self-confidence.”