Suffolk County Councillor Paul Hopfensperger (Hoffy) swum the English Channel in July 2007 to raise funds for CLIC Sargent and St Nicholas Hospice and in May 2007 he invited all local swimming clubs to help him reach his £50,000 target by taking part in a sponsored Virtual Channel Swim Challenge.

50% of all money raised was kept by the swimming club and the remaining 50% was donated to CLIC Sargent and St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity. Every day in the UK 10 families are told their child has cancer. CLIC Sargent will be there for each of them, providing individual care and support, both in the hospital and at home, from the moment of diagnosis, for as long as it’s needed. In East Anglia the charity funds 13 care professionals including nurses and social workers who help to support families affected by childhood cancer from this region.

On Sunday May 27, 2007 swimmers from West Suffolk Swimming Club, Sudbury Swimming Club and “Hoffy’s Channel Swim Team” arrived at Culford School Swimming pool to take part in the event. Between them they needed to complete a total of 1344 lengths x 25 metres, being the minimum distance required to swim the channel.  Two other local swimming clubs, Mildenhall Sharks and Thetford Dolphins, completed the event in their own swimming pools.

Special thanks go to Culford School for allowing free use of their pool for this event.

Hoffy’s Virtual Channel Swim Team

“Hoffy’s Virtual Channel Swim Team” consisted of Mike Read, 33 times swimmer of the English Channel, Paul Hopfensperger, former Suffolk County Champion and Record Holder at 100 Metres Freestyle, and Solo English Channel Swimmer in July 2007, Tom Gunning, a former Royal Marine who swum the channel for over 7 hours in 2006 and 12 hours in 2007 before aborting his attempts, Glyn Hammond and Scott MacKenzie who train at Culford School swimming pool with Hoffy, and three friends of Tom Gunning and Mike Read.

Swimming Clubs who Participated

Sudbury & District Swimming Club (Suffolk) - £599.00

Mildenhall & District Swimming Club (Suffolk) - £436.00

Thetford Dolphins Swimming Club (Norfolk) - £308.00

West Suffolk Swimming Club (Suffolk) - £297.00

Hoffy’s Virtual Channel Swim Team - £210.00

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Swim team appeal

VIRTUAL: Paul Hopfensperger with Don Neate and Michael Read   0703-207-3

A KING OF CROSS-Channel swimming has dived into a fund-raising challenge to support CLIC Sargent and St. Nichoals’ Hospice, in Bury St Edmunds.

Michael Read, 66, who has swum the English Channel a record 33 times, appealed for teams to take part in a virtual Channel swim on Sunday, May 27, at Culford School.

Mr Read, along with Cllr Paul Hopfensperger and Don Neate, president of the West Suffolk Swimming Club, has organised the 21-mile challenge for swimmers of all ages and abilities.

He said: “It is a mind blowing experience pounding up and down the lanes and raising money for charity is an added incentive.”

Five teams of six swimmers will take part in a non-stop challenge, swimming one hour each until 1,344 lengths of a 25-metre pool have been completed. Half the money raised will go to charity and the other half to their club.

Members of the public will also get the chance to support the cause by completing the distance in their own time in any number of swimming sessions.

Cllr Hopfensperger, who is training for his real-life cross Channel swim, is also behind the campaign. He said “I would encourage anyone who wants to participate to get a team together.”

Paul won gold and silver medals at the 2007 Cold Water Swimming Championships on Saturday, representing West Suffolk Swimming Club.

For more information about taking part in the virtual swim, visit www.virtualchannelswim.info or email entries@virtualchannelswim.info (NOW CLOSED).

 

Article reproduced by kind permission of Barry Peters at the Bury Free Press (March 30, 2007). Article and photo copyright Bury Free Press 2007.

“Virtual Channel Swim” at Culford School raises £1,850.00

for CLIC Sargent Children’s Cancer Charity & St. Nicholas’ Hospice…

Left: Swimmers from West Suffolk Swimming Club, Sudbury & District Swimming Club and Hoffy’s Virtual Channel Swim Team, line up prior to the Virtual Channel Swim on May 27, 2007.

 

Above left to right: Paul Hopfensperger, Tom Gunning and Mike Read after the Virtual Channel Swim.