A team of Dorset solicitors is training to swim the English Channel this August, raising money for Aspire.
Six lawyers will swim from Dover to France, day and night. Andrew Mercer has worked there almost 30 years and wants to give back before retiring.
Andrew is 59 years old and swam the Channel as a teen in a relay for his lifeguard club. They raised money for the RNLI at that time.
Andrew turns sixty this year and always planned to swim again. It is a challenge as he retires. Amy Croxford, 40, always wanted to do this and is training hard.
She trains at a gym and pools and plans open water swims in March. She is scared of the cold water a lot. Laura Trapnell is a partner, age 53.
Laura loves swimming in the ocean, yet she fears this challenge. She does not want to let her team down. She pictures them on a French beach crying after completing it.
Emma Wilders-Pratt is 47 years old and feels calm with her strong team. Jennifer Bowes, 41, coached swimming before and knows the great things about it.
Jennifer swims a lot in the pool now. The cold sea is a big challenge for her because her blood flow makes her hands and feet numb. She swam for half an hour so far and it made her feel more confident.
Taylor Anderson is 29 and faces his fear of swimming. He trains often and wants to cross the Channel. The team raises money for Aspire, which helps people with spinal cord injuries.