This March, Gillian Fyfe Head of Digital at Alzheimer Scotland, aims to complete her challenge of swimming 3000m every month.
Inspired by fellow staff members and volunteers taking on challenges, the huge rise in demand for our support and the impact that COVID Gillian said she wanted ‘try to do something more than my day job’. So, equipped with 1 swimming costume and silicone hat she decided to take the plunge and began her challenge in November and has been swimming everyday throughout winter, in open waters!
Having never swum through winter or in open waters before, Gillian is now 4 months into her challenge facing increasingly colder waters as she progresses through her challenge.
Asking Gillian how she tackles such a big challenge, she said: “If you’ve found something you enjoy doing, set yourself a challenge. My event isn’t a race against anyone else; it’s a personal challenge, and although I don’t like asking for sponsorship I’ve found that friends, family, colleagues and strangers who I’ve just chatted to on the beach while they wonder why the daft woman is getting in the water in a swimming costume, have been so generous. Dementia touches all corners of our community and that reflects people’s willingness to support anything which makes life a bit better for those families”
So far Gillian has done an amazing job fundraising and already passed the £800 mark, if you would like to donate to Gillian’s page you can do so here.
Next year Gillian is planning to train to swim an ice mile, so watch this space!
Thanks to Gillian we can continue being there for people living with dementia now and beyond the pandemic. If you know anyone looking to take on a fundraising challenge of their own, get in touch with our friendly team today for support or visit our Challenge Yourself, Change Dementia page for inspiration.