Local 70 year old takes the plunge to swim 7 miles for charity
15 August 2013
After a break of over twenty years since his last sponsored swim, 70-year-old Alan Spier from Ecclesall decided it was time to take to the water again.
Alan who still manages to swim a 1000 metres almost every day is raising funds in memory of his partner’s grandson George Gordon. George was born at 26 weeks and sadly passed away just 12 hours later.
The money raised will be donated to Sheffield Hospitals Charity and used to support other families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the Jessop Wing hospital, where George was cared for.
The Unit is one of the largest in the country and manages to look after around 800 premature and sick babies from Sheffield and all over the UK each year.
The first of Alan’s swimming challenges took him to Lake Windermere, where he managed to successfully complete a one mile course in 45 minutes and come first in his age group. This raised a significant amount of money, but Alan felt he still wanted to do more.
Alan said: “I felt so relieved when I saw the signs to say I only had 200 metres left to
go, by that point I had probably done more than a mile as I’d gone a little of course and had to be steered back into line by one of the event organisers. When I reached the finish line I knew it had all been worth it. The atmosphere was great and everyone was so friendly and supportive.
The swim gave me the incentive to push myself even more and also because I know how well the staff at the hospital looked after George and his parents. I want to raise more money to help other families who find themselves in such a stressful position.”
Alan’s motivation for his next challenge was inspired by a conversation with his dentist, about the joys of outdoor swimming and how great it would be to swim in all of the lakes in the Lake District. After giving it some thought Alan decided he would raise further funds for Sheffield Hospitals Charity by swimming half a mile in 14 lakes in the Lake District. The big swim will take place in September and Alan will be supported by three other men, including his dentist who are also raising funds for the same cause.
The total seven mile distance will be covered in three days. It will finish in the picturesque Buttermere Lake, where a local pub is conveniently positioned that overlooks the water, to enable the group to celebrate their amazing achievement.
Alan is aiming to raise a total of £4,000 from his swimming expeditions, donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/AlanSwims‎
