Jump right in for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

Are you looking to take part in a fun challenge this autumn that will boost your fitness AND help people affected by lung cancer – a disease that claims around 36,000 lives each year?

It’s simple: just go along to your local swimming pool or your favourite stretch of ‘wild swimming’ water and jump right in!

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is calling on swimmers in Oldham to join in to help promote awareness of the disease.

Swimmers can sign up to attempt a range of different distances, so there are options for everyone, every level of ability.

Swim one mile, or five, or ten or even aim to cover a marathon distance of 26 miles (and a bit!).

More experienced - and adventurous - swimmers can go for 50 or even 100 miles.

Best of all, you don’t have to do it all in one session.

You can take your time, and Swim the Distance at your own pace, whenever you like, provided you complete your chosen challenge within the month of November – which is designated as Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

The Challenge is being backed by former GB swimming star, Gaynor Willis, who competed in the 1984 Olympics under her former name of Gaynor Stanley.

She said: “Swimming is an amazing sport. It gives you think time and is really therapeutic.

"There are also an incredible number of health benefits to swimming including keeping your lungs healthy.

“I know it’s easy for someone like me to say but that’s the beauty of this challenge – anyone can do it as there is a distance to suit every ability.

"If you don’t swim well, do it slowly and go at your own pace.

"It doesn’t have to be rushed, it isn’t a race and what an achievement when you finish!”

The Challenge is free to enter, and once you’ve completed your chosen distance, you’ll receive an official swimming badge and certificate to mark your amazing effort and valuable support.

Amy Clarke, Community Fundraiser at Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: “Swimming is a great way to keep fit while also looking after your lungs.

"Most of all, it’s great fun, yet everyone who takes part will also be helping to fund our vital research and patient care projects.

“We want to bring people together to show support for everyone who’ll be diagnosed with this disease during Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

"We think this a great way to achieve that – so come on in everybody, the water’s lovely!”

To take sign up to part in the ‘Swim the Distance Challenge’, please visit: https://www.roycastle.org/swim  

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