School team set to take on Channel challenge for two worthy causes

The Grimsby Water Rats Junior English Channel Relay Team, will attempt to swim the 22 miles between Dover and France, across the English Channel, on June 23.

Each swimmer will take it in turns to swim in the sea for an hour in rotation, until they reach France.

Swimming the English Channel will take the team across the busiest shipping lane in the world, a relay team on average takes around 14 hours.

The team will comprise of QEGS staff member Jo Fieldsend and QEGS student swimmers, Georgia Barnett, Carter Vernon, George Vickers, Alex Parker (from King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth) and Ross Martinelli from the Grimsby Water Rats.

The idea for the charity challenge first started in May 2019 and the team were due to swim in July 2020, but this date had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jay Vernon is the mum of Carter Vernon, 15.

Jay explained: “Training continued throughout the summer of 2020.

“We looked to September 2020 and the possibility of restrictions lifting further, only to find the virus was not giving us any movement we needed to swim under the school name.

“The young team in Lincolnshire sat frustratingly watching people completing in the channel what they should have been doing, and more importantly were ready and able to do, if it wasn’t for COVID-19.

“Then we had a little ray of sunshine in the form of The Grimsby and Cleethorpes Water Rats, based in Grimsby dock.

“They have a wealth of experience of swimming the English Channel (solo and relay) and they agreed the Lincolnshire team could swim under their name and remove the team, at that point, from any school involvement.

“Just as this had all been agreed and organised and they were eager to get the swim done in early October 2020, another blow hit the team, storm Alex hit the English Channel and made it impossible to swim.”

Then during training Carter sustained a hand injury, but he is still determined to take part next week.

Jay explained: “The swim is now set to take place around June 23, depending on tides, on the Sea Leopard Charter boat going out of Dover captained by the experienced Stuart Gleeson.

“Training throughout the past two years has been incredible.

“They have swam in the sea at Skegness, Anderby Creek sea, Grimsby Docks, Tattershall Lakes, Activity’s Away Lincoln, and Skegness Water Leisure Park.

“These young people have trained long and hard under the most difficult of circumstances whilst also completing A-levels and GCSEs respectively.

“What they started in the junior years of school life, is now being completed as they’re heading off to universities - and for one - naval training.

“We want to thank everyone for supporting them and for donations already received.”

QEGS headteacher, Simon Furness, commented: “I, the students and staff members at QEGS are incredibly proud of the members of our school community that are attempting to swim across the English Channel as a relay team for charity.

“Despite the swim being postponed due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the team remain relentlessly determined, they have our full support and are undoubtedly proving an inspiration to their peers and the wider school community by undertaking such a feat.

“On behalf of the QEGS community, I’d like to thank the Grimsby Water Rats for their generous support of our students.”

Jo Fieldsend, QEGS Assistant Headteacher and team leader added: “I’m so proud to lead this incredible group of young people, all members of the team are remarkable, resilient and are as committed as ever to completing this journey and achieving their dream of swimming across the English Channel as a relay team.

“When we look back on this journey, and the hurdles and the obstacles that these young people will have overcome to swim to France, it will make the achievement even greater and send the message to other young people that ‘anything is possible’.”

The approximate cost of the challenge is £5000, which includes all registration fees, the pilot for the swim and boat to accompany the team across, transport to Dover and accommodation while in Dover.

Money raised will go to The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and a Legacy Adventure Fund for QEGS students.

You can donate online by clicking here