“I have never had any inclination to participate in any sponsored activity, probably because I was never in a position to do so. People who know me well will remember that only 5 years ago I couldn’t even walk further than the end of a road without being out of breath or my limbs singing to me! So to combine me attempting to stay fit, giving me a huge challenge to work on and at the same time helping one of the most well known and respected charities. I am asking for your support by sponsoring me to swim 200 lengths of Calne pool for Swimathon 2010 Marie Curie Cancer Care as we all know makes a difference to the lives of thousands of terminally ill people by providing free care from Marie Curie Nurses; so give generously! Oh and by the way, get the oxygen ready and the winch ready at the end!!!”

We wish you all the very best of luck and if you would like to support Vanessa please click here>>

See his story below:

“I was disappointed at my missed opportunity to enter ‘Hell Up North’ and agreed to enter as Susan. My friend’s wife was injured and couldn’t run. We rejoiced, not at poor Susan’s misfortune, but at the fact that I could now brave the 12 miles of challenging terrain with my mates. On the day of the race my friend John handed me his wife’s entry pack. I was shocked to find the race numbers had been colour coded to show the entrant’s gender and mine was no less than florescent pink! John advised me to rip off the number before passing the finishing line. True to it’s name the race was hellish and really tough. Whilst pouring my last amount of energy into chasing a contestant down before the finish line, I completely forgot to rip off my pink race number! The announcer declared that the first female was on the home straight. I crossed the line to a soundtrack of boisterous applause from spectators and heard the tannoy boom “hang on, that’s no woman”. Not only had I stolen the limelight from the real first female, I had a face-to-face telling off from the organisers.”