Channel Swim for Malawi trip

I am swimming the length of the English Channel to raise money and help fund my trip to Malawi next summer. Each year a team of students at my school (Trinity Croydon) go to Malawi and help teach the children, provide them food, build infrastructure, and make memories for life. Next summer we will fly out to build a new classroom block to allow the Trinity-funded Chipwepwete school (already at max capacity!) to teach more children. Our work will transform the lives of several hundred primary and secondary-school age children by providing them accessible education and daily school meals they wouldn't otherwise have. Our work will offer these children a brighter future.

I am doing this in my school pool with a team of three others from the water polo 1st team (see below). We need to swim 34.8km, which is 1,400 laps. So that's 8.7km or around 350 laps each. However, we can only get booked in the pool for 6 hours! This turns it from a difficult challenge into a monumental one, because we need to not only swim a ridiculous distance but also get it done in time.

Your donation will go directly towards flight costs so that I can get to Malawi to help build the new classroom blocks. I believe this will be an experience that will have a transformative impact on me and give me a new perspective that I will carry for the rest of my life.

Below is my write-up of the mission.

The story:

"All four of us regularly train before school in the school pool, and it was after a particularly gruelling high-intensity session that we were inspired to pursue this monumental challenge.

Suffering in the changing rooms after managing to drag ourselves out the pool, young Oliver Stephenson ("Stepho") weakly gasped "I feel like I've just swum the English Channel." To which Pierre said, "Wait, we should actually do that." And boom, the idea was born.

We planned to follow in the footsteps of a group of Trinity students from a few years ago, but, much to our disappointment, we discovered that we would need to have booked a Channel swim slot a year in advance to have any real chance of doing it. And with our powerhouse Pierre leaving at the end of this year we saw that it wouldn't be possible and thought all hope was lost.

However, we were determined not to let this bitter news get in the way of our mission. We put our heads together and landed on the idea of swimming the length of the Channel in our school pool.

And while the idea of swimming up and down the infamously hyper-chlorinated Trinity pool 1,400 times haunts us in our dreams, we are determined to get it done for Malawi - even if we've only given ourselves 6 hours to do so!"

The team:

Jared Thompson (aka "JT!") - Despite being able to swim two length underwater, those are not gills you see on his neck, they're medals - as a former national-level swimmer and decorated athlete, the newly elected Head Boy has often been mistaken for a fish when in the pool. A fish that can score goals, that is - a member of the 1st XV water polo squad since 4th Year and a former GB water polo squad member, he knows how to lead a team to victory. He will use his long limbs to drag the team to success no matter what.

Pierre Rivet (aka Powerhouse Pierre) - The esteemed Deputy Head of School's experience with the U19 GB water polo squad means he eats challenges for breakfast. His infectious French panache is perhaps best embodied by the bright blue King of Spades budgie smugglers he frequently sports, and his iron mindset is deeply woven into the team's collective mentality. If he can swim a 200m butterfly at the end of a tough Monday morning swim set and come out smiling, we can swim the English Channel, no problem.

Alex Middleton (aka Alexander the Great) - Few enjoy the privilege of being physically fitter than the indefatigable Alex Middleton. Being a multi-discipline GB athlete comes with its advantages - because despite having zero free time owing to his commitments to GB water polo, GB biathle, modern pentathlon and national-level running competitions, you can consider yourself lucky to catch Alex "Farah" Middleton out of breath. His unparalleled stamina levels will help him pull his weight, and then some - ideal, since we need someone to catch up Stepho's skipped lengths.

Oliver Stephenson (aka Speedo Stepho) - Perhaps the kindest member of the team, the charitable Ollie Stephenson is more than happy to share out his laps on morning swim sessions. But don't question his commitment to the team or you'll find yourself face-to-face with a far less magnanimous character, one who crushes his goals without mercy. An effervescent fountain of wisecracks, Speedo Stepho will be the hero we call upon should we find ourselves in a dark place on this epic quest.

Mr. King (aka The King of Trin) - There are fewer titles better deserved than that of the gregarious Head of Sport's. A 2012 Olympian and supreme lord of the renowned Trinity water polo team, he has a proven track record of producing successful results; the number of national titles won during his tenure eludes measure. Some say he will simply play the role of lifeguard, others whisper excitedly about his anticipated return to the pool. Either way, the team count themselves lucky to be in the company of aquatic royalty.

Thank you for your donation!

Here are some photos of previous trips to Malawi: