The English Channel is renowned for its strong tides, swirling waves and the vast amount of passenger and freight traffic it sees each day. One thing it is less well known for, however, is being the new home for Early Bird Swimmers… until now.

Elle Croneen caught up with Martin Bishop, 77, who is one of eight Hurlingham staff/members taking on the challenge of relay swimming from Dover to Calais in September.

This is quite the test. I’m sure many people will be wondering why on earth you’re doing this?
This is all in aid of The Hurlingham Club Foundation. Every penny we raise will help improve the wellbeing of the 13,000 children living in poverty in Hammersmith and Fulham. Just £15 will help a family in need eat for a week!

And how did you float the idea of swimming the Channel?
I’ve been swimming every morning for the last seven years or so. One day I asked some of the fellow Early Birds ‘why don’t we swim the Channel and raise some money?’ And surprisingly, I had some takers!

Do you have any ideas about how the day itself is going to pan out?
First, we’ll need to get the nod that the weather is okay for us to cross the Channel. From there, we’ll hop aboard the chartered catamaran and start swimming. We will each swim in relay for about one hour; and to complete the 21+ miles, it should take about 16-18 hours.

How are you preparing for the swim?
Luckily, we are allowed to wear wetsuits so the 14-degree water won’t be too much of a shock. I’m swimming about four miles every week in the lead up, plus we have booked in a few sea-swims for training with a tide. We’re doing the Brighton pier-to-pier, plus a ten-hour swim to Fastnet Rock off the coast of Ireland near Cork.

Of course, there are a lot of hazards in the Channel swim; is there anything you’re particularly dreading?
Swimming at night is going to be quite a new experience; we’re practising on our training swim in Ireland. Other than that, I don’t think the swimming will be the worst part… instead, sitting on the boat for 15 hours trying not to be seasick will be a lot more miserable!

And once you reach France, how are you going to celebrate this achievement?
I think all of us will just want to sleep, we’ll be exhausted! Of course, we will pack a bottle of champagne to enjoy together on the two-hour boat ride back to England too.

ELLE CRONEEN

Quick Fire questions

Cold or tepid swimming?
Cold, with a wetsuit – it’s nice and refreshing!

Swim training or Hurlingham Players rehearsing?
They’re totally different! I do have waterproof headphones for swimming and I’m currently learning French, which is a fantastic way to pass the time – maybe I’ll be fluent by September!

Front crawl or breaststroke?
It has to be front crawl, I just still struggle to breathe on both sides, but I’m slowly teaching myself.

England or France?
France for the weather and the food, but England for the Club of course!

To support the incredible challenge that Martin and the team are doing for The Hurlingham Foundation, donate to justgiving.com/page/earlybirds

The Team – members and staff

Martin Bishop; Andrew Jaques; Bill Bolinger; Thomas Cabot; Ettie Neil-Gallacher; Luke Theopolis; Hazel Mitchison (Swimming Programme Manager); Abena Gray (Swimming Instructor);

On Land: Official Team Manager: Alfie Morrison (Senior Lifeguard)