One month left to sign up for '¨Swimathon '“ the world's biggest fundraising swim

This year Swimathon is raising money for two charities, Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.

Swimmers of all ages and abilities can choose from a range of sponsored challenges, including 400m, 1.5k, 2.5k, 5k or team distances of 1.5k or 5k.

Plenty of pools across Hampshire will host the event from Friday, April 27- Sunday, April 29.

There’s also an opportunity to take part in ‘MySwimathon’, where participants can complete an individual challenge or set their own distance at any time from April 20-May 6.

This year will be Swimathon’s 30th year and since it took the plunge over 700,000 swimmers have dived into 1,000 pools across the country.

Over the years, more than £48m has been raised for different charities.

Grace Johnson is taking part in this year’s swim. Her dad Gordon was a former Great Britain swimmer before he died in 2014. Grace said: ‘Dad had always loved swimming and he coached as well. He took me to swimming lessons and it was something we did together.’

Grace added that she wants this year’s event to raise lots of funds as the two charities are important to her family.

‘Dad was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2011 and he didn’t want to stop doing anything – he even kept swimming. When he was given the news his cancer was terminal he said that he didn’t want to die in hospital. Thanks to Marie Curie nurses, he was able to die at home surrounded by his family.’

Olympic gold medallist and Swimathon president Duncan Goodhew said: ‘There’s just over one month to go but there is still plenty of time for people to get training and sign up. Swimathon weekend is always a fantastic occasion, I enjoy seeing everyone in the pool with smiling faces, all with the same goal in helping raise money for two great causes.’