Jack Dobson has raised more than £2,000 for Newlife after completing one of the world’s toughest open-water swims.
Starting from The Gobbins cliff-face, Jack reached Scotland in 11 hours and 25 minutes.
Two hours in, Jack began to struggle. Swimming without a wetsuit, he was cold, weak and unable to keep food down, but the team alongside him helped him push on, with Newlife’s cause in mind at every stroke.
Jack’s mum, Karen, is one of Newlife’s consultant nurses and helped launch the charity’s services, including grants for specialist wheelchairs, buggies, beds and car seats, emergency equipment loans, play therapy services and Newlife’s nurse-run helpline.
Jack said: “I know from my mum what a big difference fundraising for Newlife can make to disabled children and their families.
“Many disabled children wait months or years for assessments and essential equipment. Sometimes the equipment they need isn’t provided by health and social care services, leaving parents and carers with no option but to turn to charities like Newlife.”
In the last financial year, Newlife provided 796 equipment grants, delivered more than 15,000 instances of support through its nurse service and issued 28 emergency equipment loans to families across the UK.
During the swim, Jack was stung by numerous jellyfish, including the venomous Lion’s Mane, and encountered one with tentacles measuring around five metres (16ft).
“It was incredible to see this creature up close. I also saw dolphins and seals while I was swimming; it was a real marine safari out there,” said Jack.
In the final stages, powerful currents pushed Jack away from the cliffs of Scotland, making progress incredibly difficult. As his strength faded, he had to fight to hold his position and grind out every metre to the finish.
Jack added: “I was delighted to reach Scotland in good time, having covered around 42.5km (26 miles). The strong tides pushed me away from the beach, so I ended up crashing into the cliffs to finish. I got straight back into the boat with my support team so we could return to Bangor.
“The team included my fiancée, Chrissy, who has supported me throughout and knows how much this challenge has meant to me, and the fantastic crew, including coach Steven, who expertly guided me and got me back on track after some tough early spells.
When you have a cause like Newlife, you have all the motivation you need. And when you tell people why you’re fundraising, they become so invested. I just kept thinking, the more I could do, the more I could help.
JACK
You can still support Jack’s challenge for Newlife and help disabled children by donating at justgiving.com/page/jack-dobson-2.
Ways you can get involved:
If swimming the North Sea isn’t for you but you want to show your support for Newlife there are other ways you can get involved:
- Volunteer
- Take part in an event or challenge
- Community fundraising