There’s a lot of water around Rye. The sea. The Romney Marshes. And the River Rother. If you’re not careful, you’ll get wet.

Call us brave, or foolish, but one day a few months ago, a team of us at The George in Rye decided that come September, we would plunge into the water and swim 10 miles up River Rother in a relay, to raise money for The Oliver Curd Trust.

We knew there would be weeds, we knew there would be murkiness and we knew we might bob past the odd duck or swan. But on the 3rd September, swam we did, and we completed the challenge in 7 hours, assisted by Bodiam Ferry River Cruises, the largest boat on the River Rother.

So far, we’re delighted to have raised over £1,000 for the Trust, a local charity providing free holiday accommodation to families affected by childhood cancer and life threatening illnesses. The charity was set up by Oliver’s parents Richard and Sarah in 2008 to help other families with poorly children to enjoy a break during difficult times.

We’ve done well. BUT, our mission is not over yet. We would love to bust our target by getting to £2,000 and enable even more families to benefit from a restful holiday. So please, whether you think or swim was madcap or heroic, donate if you’d like to support this incredible cause. You can suggest any amount via our Just Giving page, opting into a Gift Aid donation if you are a UK Taxpayer. Just head here to make a donation.

On behalf of everyone at The George in Rye, we’d like to thank you for your support. And remember, if you ever decide to swim down the River Rother, make sure you take a seriously large thermos of hot tea for afterwards….

Best Wishes

The George in Rye swimming team