Fleur Hawthorne, a mother of three from Ruardean, who is planning to swim the Channel for charity in September, recently completed the six-hour qualifying swim.

As part of any English Channel swim, whether it be a solo or a relay, challengers need to meet a number of criteria to successfully register with the relevant Channel Swimming Association organisation to make the swim attempt.

The solo swimmer has to complete a six hour swim to qualify to swim the English Channel.

Fleur, who works at Brockhampton Residential Home, near Ross-on-Wye, is hoping to raise funds for It’s In The Bag Cancer Charity and the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. Both charities are close to Fleur’s heart.

The residents at Brockhampton Court have also got behind Fleur. She has been given a window in which to attempt the swim between September 13th and 18th, but expects to start around September 15th.

Visit fleursbigswim.co.uk/donate-now.html for more information.