RFCA
for Yorkshire and The Humber
Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association
Student Nurse’s New Year’s Chilly Charity Swim
10 Jan
Leeds student, Fiona Simkins, braved the chilly waters of the Solent on New Year’s Day for Help for Heroes.
Fiona, (20), a nursing student at the University of Leeds and a Naval Reservist with the Leeds based Ceres Division, travelled down South to take part in the New Year’s Day Swim at Stokes Bay, Gosport, raising money for the national charity.
Watched by hundreds of spectators, Fiona, along with 297 other people, braved the cold and choppy New Year’s Day waters of the Solent of 9 degrees Celsius, and winds of up to 20mph, for their chosen charities. “I was a little nervous as I knew the water was going to be cold. As the water got up to my waist line I was beginning to feel the onset of shock from the freezing temperature. I had to take a few moments to get my breath and try to get used to the water” she said.
Swimming for twenty minutes in the cold sea, before returning to the shore, she was greeted by warm blankets, and a hot chocolate. “Our legs and arms were very red but it was the wind that made you feel even colder. All in all in was a good experience and it is definitely a good way to wake you up.”
Fiona’s swim, has so far raised £175 for Help for Heroes, the national charity for wounded servicemen.
It is still possible to sponsor Fiona on her Just Giving Page: http://www.justgiving.com/Fiona-Simkins.
AB Fiona Simkins and Friend
Job done: Cold but happy
All done, time for hot chocolate
Reserve Forces
Cadets
