I started outdoor swimming in 2018. I was only a self-taught pool swimmer before that but I decided one day I wanted to swim the English Channel.  I googled it and Aspire came up as a charity who organise Relay Channel swims. I applied and following an assessment day I got accepted and placed in a team. I swam the relay in July 2019.  Ever since, I’ve been hooked!

Personally I love the sea over the pool. I like the freedom, feeling of space, being at one with nature, the peace it gives me, and the push to take myself out of my comfort zone. I can still get a little anxious when getting in to particularly cold water. I like to test myself against the elements and not others. The cold also gives me a massive rush of feel-good factor once I’ve swum and warmed up.

After swimming the Channel relay in 2019, Aspire asked me to volunteer for them as a Boat Leader. I jumped at the chance. I’ve helped support, prepare and mentor Channel relays swim teams since 2020. so am always in the sea. Being an Aspire Boat Leader is the best thing ever - I utterly adore it! My relay Channel swim experience was life changing. It’s one of those memories that will stay with me forever (better than childbirth!). I wanted to stay connected to Aspire, so to have the opportunity to be involved in swimmers’ journeys, to pass my enthusiasm on to others so they too could have the same experience, was a no brainer for me. I love the time spent on the boat and learning about the tides, currents, and push and pull of the English Channel from the pilots. To see your team reach the shores of France, and to have been a big part of their journey from the start, it’s quite emotional!

I also swam a Loch Lomond relay with Aspire in 2021.  The support the charity offers, the organisation, and wealth of knowledge is great. Aspire isn’t a big charity, so you get the feeling of being part of a family and something that really matters. There’s no one like them!

My dream is to swim the Channel solo, which a few of the other amazing Boat Leaders have achieved. I signed up to swim from the Red Forts because wanted to see if I could manage a six hour swim and to test how I cope. I feel the need to push myself at 53 yrs old. I live on the same North Kent coast as these iconic WW2 towers and being the first woman to attempt it, I felt I could fundraise well for it.

I’m utterly determined, but also pretty anxious. I’ve only ever swum for a maximum of two hours in cold water. The cold is something I struggle with more than others. That’s something I’m going to have to work hard on.  I’m in the pool a lot, interval training three times a week (on average 9k a week at present, which will increase). I’m seeing a 1:1 swim coach once a week as I’ve never had a lesson, I’m self-taught. I wanted to improve my stroke to achieve the maximum output. I’ve had pain and injuries which set me back. I’m seeing a masseuse once a week, osteo too. I’m now in the joyous menopause which is affecting my usual confidence. Sometimes I feel like I’m nailing my training, other times like I’m getting nowhere. The self-doubt creeps in, but that is also part of training, to pick yourself up and just get on with it. I’ve had a couple of acclimatisation sea swims, which I’ll increase a lot over the coming weeks.

My fundraising has been going really well. I’ve set a £5,000 target and am currently at £3,142. I aim to go way past £5,000. So far, a big proportion of that has been generated from social media. Various media outlets saw my posts and I’ve had a BBC online story and radio interview. Boom Radio have covered it. Many have shared via their own pages. I’ve had a logo, team hoodie, swim cap, posters and flyers made and sponsored by The Manor House Nursery Group. I reached out to a Kent brewery to ask for support. They’ve very kindly given me a function room, food, and raffle prizes for a quiz night in May which could raise another £1,600. Another local venue ran a quiz night and donated the proceeds of their raffle. I’ve also contacted both my schools to ask for fundraising to support in the summer. You’ve just got to put yourself out there and ask. You don’t get unless you ask!

BBC South East TV contacted me to cover my story and when that gets filmed I’m hoping to raise my profile and generate as much as I can. I’m placing the posters in many local businesses and am contacting the local parish and district council to see what support they can give.

I have met people with spinal cord injuries through Aspire, particularly the awe-inspiring Paula Craig. I have been contacted by a number of spinal cord injury people who saw my challenge on socials and reached out to say thank you, and to donate.

It’s hard to put into words what it means to be raising money to support people with spinal cord injuries.  A Spinal Cord Injury is for life. There’s no cure. In a heartbeat your life can be changed forever. It can happen to any one of us. If what I do makes a small difference, then it’s worth every penny I raise!

If I can nail the Red Sands Swim, then a Channel solo is next!

Sponsor Rebekah

Rebekah Kefford becomes the first woman to swim from Red Sands Forts

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