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F A Q
Q: When is it happenning? A: The swim was originally planned to start on 30th June 2012. However, due to Andy's very serious accident the swim has been rescheduled to start from Teddington on 19th July 2013 and continue across the Channel on the spring tide between 7th and 13th August. |
Q: Was it a coincidence that his swim was originally due to start just before the London Olympics in 2012? A: No - not exactly. With London hosting the Olympics in 2012, it was an ideal opportunity to promote physical excellence. Andy is now 63 years old. When he starts the Teddington to Calais 2012 swim on July 19th 2013 it will have taken three and a half years to train sufficiently for this gargantuan feat of endurance, equal to 7 consecutive cross-Channel swims. Andy wants to be an inspiration to people young and old and to the disabled to show that with the right attitude and focus there is nothing to prevent them from achieving practically any goal. |
Q: Is Andy 100% fit following his accident. A: No. Having said that, there is nothing he cannot do, Although it is rarely possible to tell by looking at him, he is in constant pain despite taking a cocktail of strong drugs to offset this. His swimming speed is down from 32 minutes per mile - pre-accident - to an average of 35 minutes per mile now. At this speed there are still few swimmers who are able to swim faster whilst training at Odyssey. |
Q: Where is he starting from? A: The swim will start from where Thames Swim 2005 finished... at Teddington Lock, west of London. Why not come along on 19th July to see him set off? |
Q: Where does the swim end? A: The swim will end on the French coast near Calais... it could be anywhere along a fifteen mile stretch of the French coast, depending on the tide and how quickly Andy swims. |
Q: What is the distance of the entire swim? A: The swim is approximately 147 miles (235km) - coincidentally, about the same distance as his Thames Swim in 2005. |
Q: How long do you think it will take him? A: The swim event is scheduled to take approximately 7 days of swimming. After reaching Dover, Andy will have to wait for the spring tide for the cross Channel Pilot to escort him. |
Q: Has anyone ever attempted this before? A: No. It will be another first for Andy and another two new World records. He will be the first person to have swum the entire length of the River Thames, and the first person to have swum from London to France. |
Q: Isn't this a little dangerous A: Yes it is, in fact at some points very dangerous. But extreme measures have been put into place to make this particular swim as safe as posible. It's not recommended for anyone, even normally good swimmers, to enter open water without first taking safety measures. Four years of planning will have gone into making this a safe event. Swimming in the tidal River Thames is particularly dangerous and claims many lives every year! |
Q: What exactly is this all in aid of? A: It's to raise money for the Herts Air Ambulance and the Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. You can read more about these charities from the link on the home page. Anyone who visits London could be a beneficiary of the Herts Air Ambulance service. They are regularly called out to people who are seriously ill and to accidents, and we are all subject to these. |
Q: How much should I give or pledge? A: Well, how much do you think it is worth to swim a mile (that ' s about 64 lengths of an modern size - 25 metre - pool) Now multiply that by 147. Alternatively, it depends on how much you can afford to donate. Every person ' s disposable income will be different. For whatever you give or pledge, we (and the charities) will be grateful and you will have the knowledge you have helped save or prolong someone's life. |
Q: How do I make a pledge? A: Simply send an email via the contact page, giving your NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NO, EMAIL ADDRESS and THE AMOUNT you wish to pledge. When the swim finishes you will be contacted to pay the amount you pledged. |
Q: How much does it cost to run the Air Ambulance? A: It costs about £130,000 per month to keep the heicopter in the air and pay the paramedics and support staff. |
Q: Why is Andy supporting two charities this time? A: There are so many worthy charites that need , and only survive with, the support of the public. At the end of Thames Swim 2005 Andy promised a close friend that if he did another fund-raising event he would support that friend's charity. However, he also felt the need to support the work of a charity that benefitted the public at large... regardless of where they were from. Herts Air Ambulance meets that criteria and also receives no Government funding. |
Q: Can anyone get their name into the Autograph Book or is it only for rich people and celebrities? A: Yes - anyone. Although the signatures of the rich and famous (and perhaps, infamous) are needed to make the Autograph Book attractive to autograph hunters at auction, anyone, or group of people, can have their autograph in the Book provided they come up with a minimum of £1,000. That includes anyone who collects such a sum from other supporters (but you must let them know where their money is going). That also includes people who make pledges - providing their payment is made within a reasonable period from the end of the swim. |
