Antonia Love, Family Law partner from Farleys in Blackburn, took part in Scotland’s biggest outdoor swimming event last weekend in a bid to raise over £5000 for charity.
Antonia, along with Rachel Adamson, a solicitor at Stephensons Solicitors LLP and their friends Pauline Mills and Rachel Mallett, took part in the 2km swim at Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire last weekend to raise vital money for four deserving charities – Rosemere Cancer Foundation, cancer charity Vine House, the Alzheimers Society and Leukaemia Research.
The women have planned four endurance events in the next 12 months to raise sponsorship to reach their target of £5000, the Great Scottish Swim being the first event. The money will be split equally between the four charities, which have been selected because each is close to their hearts.
Antonia, who specialises in children cases and divorce law, working throughout Lancashire and the North West, has selected Rosemere Cancer Foundation in Preston as her chosen charity.
Speaking after the event, Antonia said:
“This was a tremendously difficult challenge, notwithstanding the training. The open water training we undertook in preparation for the event was little preparation for the actual conditions on the day – the Loch temperature was only 0.6 degrees above the point where the event would otherwise have been cancelled, making it officially the coldest of all the Great Swims throughout the UK in 2011.
“The generosity of those who donated to wonderful charities such as Rosemere kept me going – particularly through the first 1000 metres. I did not want to be in a position where I could not fulfil the pledges to the charities people have so kindly made. Knowing that we had been pledged donations totalling over £3,500 was such fantastic motivation for all of us; the only option was to make sure we finished the swim regardless of the challenges presented.
“Hopefully people will continue to support the four good causes as we complete the remaining events, allowing us to reach our £5000 target.”
For more information on the womens’ endeavours, please visit http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/