Chestnut Tree House children's hospice boosted by Portsmouth mum's English Channel-inspired swim

Lucy Burton from Portsmouth completed the task of swimming almost 20 miles – the distance of the English Channel - to help Chestnut Tree House provide care and support in Hampshire and Sussex.

Swimming and coastlines have always been a big part of 42-year-old Lucy’s life. As a child, Lucy swam for her school and local teams, and in January 2017, she became a teacher and marketing lead for children’s swimming school, Puddle Ducks Hampshire and West Sussex.

Mum-of-two Lucy stacked up the exact 32km distance at Eastney Beach, just down the road from where her parents met 55 years ago while working as lifeguards in Southsea.

Lucy has been swimming in the sea regularly for a year but has only recently progressed from just ‘enjoying’ the cold water to putting on her swim hat and goggles and swimming distances.

She said: ‘Swimming every day to reach the 32km has been a real challenge due to changes in the weather and currents. It's really made me appreciate the importance of having a good swimming technique, as well as showing me how important it was to learn to swim as a child, which helped me to get it right from the beginning!’

After finishing yesterday, Lucy had raised more than £700 for the hospice.

Lucy said: ‘I chose to raise money for the charity, not just because of the fundraising Puddle Ducks has done for them in the past, but also because I know how badly the hospice has been affected by the pandemic.

‘I have read a lot about the amazing family support offered by Chestnut Tree House which has really demonstrated to me now many families are relying on them to continue to offer support. Reading their updates will often have me in tears.’

Alison Merrett, owner of Puddle Ducks Hampshire and West Sussex, added: ‘Everyone at Puddle Ducks is so proud of Lucy. Chestnut Tree House is a charity that is close to our hearts, so what better way to raise money for a truly wonderful charity by doing something that you love.’

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/lucyswim32 to sponsor Lucy.

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