Sir,
I am writing to ask for your support and help!
I am a journalist living in Bristol and I also help care for my mother, who lives in Newport and who has Alzheimer's Disease. This experience has prompted me to start writing a diary, which you can read as a blog at dogintheoven.wordpress.com.
Part of the reason I am writing this is that I think it makes an interesting read, while part of it is because I think it helps me order my thoughts and get a better understanding of the disease and how it affects those around the person with it.
The other reason is that I intend to use the blog to raise awareness and gain support for a Caldey swim I am organising. I have badgered, cajoled and arm-twisted 10 (at present!) colleagues at my company, British Publishers, to take up the challenge and do the official Tenby Harbour to Caldey Island swim to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society.
The reason I have chosen Tenby is a simple one - my family have been coming here for more than 50 years now; we have a place in town and, perhaps most importantly, my mother feels happy, peaceful and at home here. Tenby is, as everyone knows, a very special place indeed.
As I have always wondered whether I could actually do the swim across the beautiful bay, a charity swim seemed like the obvious choice!
We are currently all training hard, having secured the support of the David Lloyd Centre in Bristol.
The manager Neil there, who is also from Newport and knows Tenby, has allowed us to use his pool and gym and also provided us all with a personal trainer to knock us all into shape.
I also have the support from the Alzheimer's Society, through which you can read updates about the swim on their website and in their fundraising literature. http://www.alzheimers.org.uk">www.alzheimers.org.uk
Meanwhile, I have been speaking with John and Val Coates, who live on Lower Frog Street, about the logistics of the swim and John, who as many in Tenby probably know, has organised many such swims, is helping me organise things, as well as providing us all with much-needed guidance and advice.
The exact date for the swim has yet to be finalised, but it will be some time in June or beginning of July.
What I need is some help in getting the required number of support boats available on the day to escort the swimmers across. If anyone reading this, has a boat and wants to help raise money for a very worthwhile cause, please contact me by email at [email protected]">[email protected] or 'phone 0787 513 8147.
Thank you in advance and let's all pray for a warm summer and calm seas.
William Davis,
Bristol.