Cool way to start the year
THE New Year’s Day Swim made for a much colder start to my year!
I took part in Uswim’s New Years Day Swim at Salford Quays, with my family and I raising £2,275 in memory of our loved one Adam who was cared for at St Ann’s Hospice.
There were over 250 people who braved the cold for a chilly swim in the docks, with lots who had never done an open water swim before like me. For those who are regular open water swimmers there was a 250m course, but for those less experienced there was a 100m swim which was the width and back of the dock.
It was such a lovely challenge to be part of, bringing my family together as we raised money for our friend Adam Holland. Adam was cared for in the hospice in Little Hulton in 2020, where he died aged just 22.
Adam lived within walking distance of the hospice and was diagnosed with cancer as we went into the first lockdown of the pandemic and, when no treatments were working effectively, he received end-of-life care at the hospice.
Nothing was too much trouble for the St Ann’s staff in helping Adam and our families, everyone was always so supportive and they made special arrangements to enable Adam to come home one last time to say his goodbyes to all of us close to him.
Lots of Adam’s family and friends took part in the National Three Peaks Challenge earlier this year and raised over £7,000, so we’re so grateful to have raised more through the swim to give to St Ann’s Hospice.
The youngest person to do the New Year’s Day Swim was Adam’s sister Lily, just nine-years-old, and she did brilliantly!
We are all so glad we took part in the swim, I would definitely do another, maybe in a more picturesque setting once I’ve forgotten how cold it was! For more information on events that are taking place to raise money for St Ann’s Hospice, go to www.sah.org.uk/get-involved.