Aspire is delighted to have partnered with Marathon Films for the release of the feature film Captain Webb, which tells the story of the first man to successfully swim the English Channel.

In 1875 Captain Matthew Webb, a retired merchant seaman, survived fierce winds, treacherous currents and multiple jellyfish stings to swim from Dover to the shores of France, a crossing that took almost 22 hours and spanned 39 miles. The Channel would not be swum again for 36 years, and to this day more people have climbed Everest than have successfully swum across the Channel.

Director Justin Hardy said: “Captain Webb is a largely forgotten British hero. He attempted to swim the English Channel when the very idea was seen as beyond impossible, equipped only with his moustache, doses of Brandy and a wire wool swimsuit. We want to tell the story of a classic underdog who fought against all odds to make it to the other side.”

The film will be released on 14th August, opening at the Curzon Cinema in Bloomsbury and at the ICA, which will include a Q&A following the premiere. Captain Webb stars Warren Brown as Matthew Webb, alongside Steve Oram, Georgia Maguire and Terry Mynott.

Read more about the film's release and watch the trailer at: www.marathonfilms.co.uk/project/captainwebb/

If you're inspired by Captain Webb, why not sign up to swim the Channel with Aspire in 2016?  Find out more about this amazing experience at www.aspire.org.uk/relay-channel-swim.