Jackdaw Chatter - The Quarterly Magazine about Stow-cum-Quy
Cross Channel Swim
Hello. My name is Lloyd Clarke and I come from Lode; I am in training to swim
the English Channel this July in aid of Magpas. Magpas is a wonderful organisation
that is very close to my heart; they helped to save my life when I was a baby.
I had a near cot death when I was a few months old. My Mother thought she
heard something coming from my bedroom, but it must have been Mother’s
instinct as when she saw me I was not moving, blue and not breathing. She
screamed and my Dad came flying up the stairs, he gave me the kiss of life
whilst my Mother called the Doctor. Dr Silverstone, from Bottisham surgery,
was the on-call Doctor then. He came and threw me over his shoulder, hit me
on the back, and I breathed for myself again. So if it wasn't for my Mother,
Father and Dr Silverstone I would not have lived past being a baby.
Dr Silverstone then went on to expand his out of hours call outs into the
wonderful organisation that is Magpas as we know it today.
Magpas has saved many lives in our region and continues to do so. You may
well know Donna Linsey who is here today and leading a full and active life,
this is in no small way down to the fact that Magpas arrived quickly on the
scene of her motorbike crash.
The rollercoaster ride of physical and mental emotions is still going strong!
I have started my open water training in earnest now. Having had my first
visit and swims in Dover Harbour, which went well until I came down with a
harsh stomach bug putting me back a fortnight. I have recovered and drove
to the lake district to swim in Lake Ullswater for 35 minutes in very cold
8-9 degree water. Then the following day on to Lake Coniston where we managed
to swim for 2 hours in 9-10 degree water. I have had a couple of river swims
at the River Nene, and have now started my training partnership with my cousin
Olly who is my safety crew in a canoe. We had a test run for 45 minutes in
the River Cam at the bottom of Lode. I will be looking to increase this to
at least 4 hours by the time I get to my 6 hour qualifying swim in Lake Windermere
in early June...its all coming around very quickly!!!
If you would like to donate please do so as it’s for a very worthy cause,
Magpas, who save lives in our region.
You can donate online at: www.justgiving.com/Lloydswimmingchannel
or through my website at: www.lloydsgardens.me.uk
If you don’t like the internet you can donate in the Swan in Quy, who
are very kindly collecting for me! Thanks!
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