Swimming the Channel to help GirlGuides

Hi, my name is Thalia and I'm a GirlGuide. I've been chosen to be one of a small GirlGuide team representing Norfolk at an International Jamboree, with Guides from all over the world, in Switzerland in July 2025. I love being a Guide, you make lots of friends, learn different skills and do a lot of different activities. When we are in Switzerland we will be carrying out a community service project to support the work of Our Chalet in the Swiss Alps. Our Chalet is the first and oldest World Centre for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). It's where GirlGuides and Girl Scouts from around the world can find adventure, and ‘peace for the soul’ while making friends with Guides from other countries. I can't wait. One of the criteria for going to Switzerland is fundraising for the experience, and while my family and I are saving hard to fund my trip, I'm fundraising for the community service project element at Our Chalet. I wanted to do a sponsored swim to cover the distance from my house to Our Chalet at Adelboden in Switzerland, but discovered that's 824 kilometres and my swimming isn't that good! So I'm setting out to swim the equivalent of the English Channel, as we'll be going over that on our journey from Norfolk. That's 33.8 kilometres, (21 miles), which I think is going to take me at least 40 swimming sessions. If you sponsor me, you'll be helping GirlGuides and Girl Scouts from around the world - and encouraging me to swim further. It's going to take a lot of determination and work, and I am a bit nervous, but excited, to do this. I did a sponsored bike ride when I was five to help people who wanted to do Duke of Edinburgh and now my fundraising will help to give Guides from around the world the same opportunities as me. We've chosen GoFundMe as a good online platform with lower fees than some other sites. Thanks for reading. Please sponsor me!