Portsmouth estate agent Marcus Farrow to swim the Solent for charity fundraiser

Now the 48-year-old dad-of-three has spent the past four months training in order to take on the three-mile challenge, in aid of spinal charity Aspire.

Marcus, who has worked for Cubbitt and West for the past 11 years, came up with the idea in 2019 after successfully completing a series of other smaller fundraisers such as mini triathlons and head shaves for various good causes.

He said: ‘I sat on Southsea beach beach and thought “I could swim that”. The Isle of Wight looks so close.

‘We always do things for charity through my work so I thought that I would give it go for a good cause.

‘However Covid and lockdowns got in the way, so it was put on hold and we didn’t end up doing it.

‘In April, when all the gyms reopened, I wanted to have a focus and after a year sat indoors, the belly line had gone crazy, so I looked online and found Aspire do the Solent swims four times a year and I signed up straight away.’

Marcus will set off from Stokes Bay on Saturday at 2pm, with 11 other swimmers heading for Ryde.

He has set up a fundraising page, and hopes to raise £2,000. He has raised more than £650 already.

Marcus, who is dad to Ella, 22, Keaton, 18, and Dawson, nine, will be supported from Gosport by his family, partner and his colleagues from Cubbitt and West. Once he gets to Ryde, he will be met by a team from Cubbitt and West’s sister company Pittis.

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The swim, which covers approximately three miles due to currents, should take around two hours to complete.

Marcus, who grew up in Buckland and went to St Lukes School, said: ‘I have swam in the sea off Southsea for about two hours in training, and I have been covering about 2,000m in 50 minutes, so I am ready.

‘I have overcome my fear of jellyfish, sharks, and the water is not that cold in a wet suit – my only fear is that I don’t want to be the last one in the water.

‘However it is all for a good cause, everything that comes in is appreciated.

‘The charity said the record they have ever had for this swim was £5,000 so I would absolutely love to beat that.

‘But I appreciate that times have been hard, but if we give a little, then somebody else less fortunate will gain so much.’

To donate go to bit.ly/3mLx5BV