An intrepid open water swimmer has raised £5,400 for the NSPCC by taking on 10 swims in 10 locations in 10 days.
Georgina Williams, an expert digger operator and trainer for JCB, went on a mammoth tour of the UK’s and Ireland’s waterways to complete the challenge.
Each day she took to the water near key JCB dealers in Dorset, Essex, Norfolk, Manchester, Yorkshire, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
She then took her final chilling plunge at the lake in front of JCB’s World headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire.
Her experiences along the way included jumping into the middle of a five-degree Celsius Loch Lomond in Scotland and swimming alongside seals in the North Sea at Norfolk.
At each location she was joined in the water by employees from the dealers who helped boost the fundraising total way beyond her original target of £2,000.
The money has been put towards a £2 million appeal launched by JCB to benefit the NSPCC in Staffordshire.
JCB Backhoe Training and Demonstration Manager Georgina, 32, said: “I feel incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved. The cold-water swimming has been an amazing experience, I knew it would be very special but also that it would be a real challenge to get in the water each day.
“Raising money was always the key focus of this swim challenge but I’m delighted that the experience has also allowed me to build relationships with our dealers by sharing in this absolute madness.”
Donations in recognition of Georgina’s open water swim challenge are still open at https://www.justgiving.com/page/georgina-williams-1698234478434
