Bournemouth, Charity | Posted on July 3rd, 2024 | return to news
Dorset residents complete 1.4m pier-to-pier swim for charity
A total of 1,200 people swam from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe Pier to help raise £288,000 for the British Heart Foundation.
More than a thousand people took part in the 2024 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim held on 29 June, helping to raise £288,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The 1,200 wetsuit-clad swimmers braved the cold sea to complete the 1.4-mile swim between Bournemouth and Boscombe Pier. It is one of the largest open water swimming events in Europe.
Among the swimmers was Scott Mailes, a 60-year-old roofer from Wimborne, who raised £300. He swam in memory of his parents who passed away from heart and circulatory diseases.
Scott said: “I trained as a roofer with my dad and my son is now also in the trade. My best friend, Mark Taylor, also passed away from a heart attack at the age of 56, so it’s a cause very close to my heart.”
Louise Hansford, 52, from Bournemouth, raised £645 by taking on the challenge.
She said: “The BHF are a charity close to my heart, I used to volunteer in a BHF charity shop, and my mother-in-law had major heart surgery 10 years ago, so it was lovely to take on this swim and raise money for the BHF.”
Another participant was Tiziana Borgonovo, also from Bournemouth. This was the 55-year-old’s fifth time participating in the race.
Tiziana said: “I started my health journey when my father, Luigi Borgonovo, passed away at age 63 from lung cancer.
“He was a very healthy professional cyclist who competed in the Giro d’Italia. He started smoking once he retired which caused his lung cancer, which is what inspired me to start my health journey.”
Since it was first held in 1992, more than 34,000 people have taken part in the BHF’s Pier to Pier swim. Now in its 33rd year, the event has raised around £4m for research into heart and circulatory conditions.
Kate Sparks, senior events manager at the BHF, said: “For those who are feeling inspired, entries are now open for next year’s Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim, so we’d urge everyone to take the plunge now to help us fund vital research to save and improve more lives.”
To sign up to Bournemouth Pier to Pier 2025, visit bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/swims/bournemouth-pier-to-pier-swim.
Please share post:
LATEST NEWS:
CHARITY OF THE YEAR
Subscribe to the online magazine news letter
