Weekly Photo Challenge: Water’s Edge

Preparing To Swim The Serpentine

This coming Saturday 24th September I will be stepping off the edge into the waters of the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, London, as part of the Swim Serpentine event, raising money for my charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK (CCUK). Swimming is the only sporting activity that I can do since the worsening of my Crohn’s and the onset of fibromyalgia. I love open water swimming and joined Thorpe Open Water Swimming club this summer for my own enjoyment as well as training for the charity swim. I actually feel so much more like myself when I get my wetsuit on and jump into the lake! I can move so much more freely and really get some active exercise going that helps prevent the fibromyalgia from worsening. There’s only one more week left of the open water season and I know I will feel lost without it during the winter. I don’t swim much in pools as the chemicals in them can really aggravate the skin conditions associated with my Crohn’s!

I am so excited to be able to swim around the entire Serpentine! Hyde Park and the lake are a sanctuary for people and wildlife in the heart of London. I have visited a number of times to photograph the wildlife and landscapes but now I have a chance to see it all from a different perspective. If only I could take my camera into the water! I thought I would create a few albums to show you all some of the beautiful sights around the park and lake. I hope you enjoy them and perhaps you will be inspired to SPONSOR ME! CCUK is a small charity compared to many that will be represented on the day and we really need your help. I’m also taking part in the formation of a research project into perianal Crohn’s Disease at the moment. It’s a great feeling to be able to be part of something that could really improve the care and quality of life for many patients in the future! CCUK is involved is a huge amount of research as well as giving support to patients and their families. All research projects take many years of work and can cost an awful lot of money. They are absolutely vital in furthering our understanding of the causes of these complex illnesses and finding better medical and surgical treatments for the future. There is no cure. We would like to find one! If you can’t sponsor me yourself I would be grateful if you would share this request for help with others. Thank you all!

Hyde Park Wildlife