Dottie tackles charity swim challenge for Dementia UK

Dottie, who uses a wheelchair due to MS, has been re-learning to swim with the team at Daventry Leisure Centre, which is operated by leading leisure operator Everyone Active in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council.

She decided to raise money to support Everyone Active’s partner charity, Dementia UK, after sadly losing her father-in-law to vascular dementia last year.

She has been learning to swim again over the past year following her MS diagnosis, thanks to help from Val Taylor, GP Referral Coach, who helped Dottie build up the strength in her core and shoulders for her to be able to swim, and Emily Wright from the centre’s swim team who has helped her develop her stroke.

After swimming her first length last May, Dottie was bitten by the bug. Unfortunately, she had to have two months off over Christmas due to illness, but despite this setback decided to tackle the fundraiser and has been working with the team at the leisure centre in preparation since April.

During the challenge, which ran over nine days from 24 June to 3 July, Dottie swam a mile every other day, taking the weekend off to help her manage the pain and fatigue involved with swimming for around an hour and 10 minutes each session.

The challenge wasn’t easy for Dottie as she also had to manage the pain and fatigue from the MS. “It was awful!” she said. “The first two swims were not too bad but by the last couple I was in excruciating pain. I think my shoulders want a divorce now!

“Swimming is not easy for me as it is all upper body – my legs just drag behind. During each swim I just kept saying to myself – keep swimming! That’s my motto in life – just keep going!

“And Val and Emily were with me motivating me all of the way. It was definitely a team effort. But everyone at the centre is so supportive, from the senior management to the other users, everyone is friendly and encouraging.”

Dottie’s fundraising page has raised more than £350 and is still accepting donations at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/raising-funds-for-dementia-support-alongside-everyone-active.