Lifeguards to swim in Lake Windermere for Tynedale Hospice

The lifeguards from Sweethope Lough will take on the 11.5-mile endurance swim on August 17 in a bid to raise £10,000 for Tynedale Hospice in Hexham.

The team includes Jackie Boylan, Fenwick Ridley, Julia Roberts, Paul Snaith, and Yvonne Probert.

Jackie Boylan, owner of Transcend Hair and Beauty in Hexham, said: "After COVID, I was eager to get back to swimming, but I didn’t want to return to a pool.

"My nephew, Fenwick Ridley had been trying to get me involved in open-water swimming for years, and I finally said yes.

"Once I started, I decided to qualify as a lifeguard and join the team here."

She added that the whole experience has been an incredible journey.

Yvonne Probert, who also has a connection to the sport, said: "My day job with Tell Us North, which manages Healthwatch Newcastle and Healthwatch Gateshead, is entirely different from this.

"It’s office-based and focused on health and social care, so being out here, swimming in open water, is a complete change of pace for me."

She added that this makes it a wonderful balance.

The lifeguards have been rigorously training, spending up to an hour in the water each session.

They’ve also participated in events like the Keswick Mountain Festival, where they swam various distances to prepare for Windermere.

The team knows the swim could take anywhere from five to nine hours, depending on conditions.

TeamGB ice swimmer and Open Water coach, Fenwick Ridley, who owns H2oTrails, said: "We encourage people to sign up on our website and we assess their experience and offer introduction sessions in our warm, shallow waters which are perfect for beginners."

Ms Boylan said: "Many of us have seen at first hand the incredible work Tynedale Hospice does.

"In our salon, several staff members have relied on their services during tough times.

"We’re delighted to raise money for such an amazing cause."

So far, the events have raised £7,500, with the team pushing to reach their £10,000 target.