On A Mission Of Love: British Man To Swim English Channel For Maltese Charity
A British man who frequents Malta has decided to undertake the huge task of swimming the English Channel in aid of Mission of Love Malta.
August 2020 will see Benedict Aitken attempt to the cross channel, but the charity drive has already begun with donations having opened at the beginning of this month.
His training has already begun, and Ben is set to tackle the Gozo Channel in October without a wetsuit – in preparation for the English Channel, who set out strict guidelines for those who choose to swim the 20 mile distance.
English Channel officials stipulate that those attempting the crossing must do so entirely alone, no human contact during the swim is allowed, and the swimmer must be guided by a ‘Channel Expert’.
The swim can take anywhere from 10 to 12 hours, so in order to maintain nutritional intake Ben will be fed via a long pole extended from the back of the boat that will guide his course.
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His course is also not a straight one, which is again due to the currents and tides between the two straits. Because of this, the total distance covered is increased from a straight measurement (20.7 miles) to roughly 22 miles.
To swim the crossing had always been a personal goal for Ben, who swam throughout his younger years but took a break to focus on rugby.
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But after getting back into the pools about 5 years ago, Ben felt that the time was finally right for him to put his efforts into something more meaningful.
His first official swim in the lead up to the Channel crossing will be around the outskirts of San Fransisco.
Before the swim takes place, Ben will be travelling to the Philippines with the charity and will be joined by Josh O’Cock, the son of the charity founder, and Ed Norris – the head organiser of Lost & Found. The three men will be given an insight into the efforts of Mission of Love while also helping to finish building works on a school for the Ati tribe.
If you would like to donate to the cause, you may do so through Paypal. Revolut donations are accepted as well, check out the Facebook post below for more information.