Still Swimming... and here's why....

 I'm now in my final week of the Swim-82km-in-a-month challenge, and I'm just about on target. I'm raising funds so that Latin Link can support local organisations in Latin America helping their communities badly effected by COVID-19 and the economic effects of lockdowns. 

This week, I received a newsletter from Rose, my friend and Latin Link colleague, working for one of the organisations we support in Solola, a rural part of Guatemala. She shares an example of the impact your donations and sponsorship can have on local people. 

Petronila is 35 years old and comes from the village of Pasajquim, San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala.  She and her husband have 5 children but they live with very little. During this time they have suffered to find ways to provide food for their children as her husband lost his job because of the pandemic. They have been able to find some work doing odd jobs, such as domestic jobs or selling firewood, but this is only once or twice a week, earning just £3.00 a day, which is not enough to cover the costs of providing for their family. “Sometimes we don’t have anything to feed our children and we do our best to find something so that the children can eat, but we don’t eat anything.” With the support of the food parcel from Latin Link, delivered through AMI San Lucas, they will be able to eat for another month, for which Petrolina expressed her gratitude.  “I feel truly very thankful for you, the support you have given is a great help to my family.  Thank the people who have given this support, my family is thankful for each person who has provided this support.” 

This is just one example of how sponsorship of my swim (or any of the Indoor Expeditions) have been supporting communities and individuals in Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and many other countries in Latin America. Thank you if you have already sponsored me. If you would like to here's the link.... 

https://www.latinlink.org.uk/fundraisers/suzannes-swim

And here's a few photos of my recent swims...It's definitely getting colder now, so I'm having to do shorter swims but sometimes a couple a day! 

Goodrington Sands - Broadsands - Elberry Cove

Start and finish of 5.5km down the river Avon from Aveton Gifford to Bantham beach.

The view back up the river Avon.

Back the other way.... Elberry Cove, Broadsands and Goodrington. 

Or.. 'we swam from other there to here!'

Blurry photo of a bit of my normal stretch along the river Dart (on a gloomy day!)

And various ups and downs around East Portlemouth, opposite Salcombe.