Blesma Members to be the first all-amputee team to attempt Channel crossing
12 June 2014
A group of four amputees will be braving temperatures as low as 18°C to swim the English Channel as a relay team in September this year. In order to be allowed to take on the challenge, the team will have to complete a confirmatory swim – a continuous swim of at least two hours in open water which will take place on Saturday 21 June from Swimmer’s Beach near Dover.
Craig Howorth, Stephen White, Jamie Gillespie and Conrad Thorpe will be abiding by the Official Channel Swimming Association rules, which do not make any special dispensations for amputees. The men will not be allowed to wear wetsuits and have chosen not to wear their prosthetic limbs.
Stephen, a keen swimmer, approached Jamie, his prosthetist, to see if he was interested in taking part. Jamie then contacted Conrad and Craig was recruited from a Blesma bulletin that was put out to Members. As the team are based all over the UK, apart from Conrad who lives in East Africa, they have been training separately, but are due to come together for a qualifying swim in June to confirm that they are fit enough to take on the challenge. Craig, Stephen and Jamie took part in the Chillswim Coniston in the Lake District in September last year – a 5.25 mile open-water swim as part of their training.
Annette Hall, Head of Fundraising at Blesma says: “For Blesma Members to make up the first all-amputee Channel Swim team is something special, but for them to also be fundraising for us is fantastic. Everyone at Blesma is fully behind them as they attempt this challenge and join me in wishing them the best in their endeavour.”
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless service men and women, their widows and dependants. It was formed in the years following the First World War and became a national charity in 1932.
To show your support for the team in their fundraising efforts, please go to: http://www.justgiving.com/stephen-white12
-ENDS-
Notes to Editor
Hi-res images can be downloaded from the links below:
Conrad: /media/145335/Conrad-Thorpe-1.jpg
Stephen: /media/145337/Stephen-White.JPG
Jamie: /media/145344/Jamie2.jpg
Craig: /media/145336/Craig-Howorth-1.jpg
About Blesma, The Limbless Veterans
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless serving and ex-service men and women, their widows and dependants. It is a membership organisation which helps wounded service men and women rebuild their lives by providing rehabilitation activities and welfare support. Their membership includes those who have lost the use of a limb, an eye or the sight of an eye.
Blesma was formed in the years following the First World War and became a national charity in 1932. Blesma today has over 4000 Members and widows. The membership consists of men and women who have served during the Second World War and the many subsequent conflicts and peacekeeping operations since, including the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.
About the Swimmers
Craig Howorth (46): Craig is a right leg below-the-knee amputee after losing his leg in a road traffic accident in 2006. Craig had previously served as a submariner in the Royal Navy from 1988 to 1993. He currently lives in Bacup, Lancashire and now works as a trail leader for Military Mountain Bikers.
Jamie Gillespie (39): Jamie was serving as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers when he was involved in a road traffic accident and lost his left leg below the knee in 1994. He was discharged from the Army in 1995 and has since retrained as a prosthetist and is living in Watford.
Stephen White (49): Stephen was serving as a Rifleman with The Royal Green Jackets when a cruciate knee injury led to him losing his left leg above the knee. Stephen was discharged from the Army in 1987 and has since become a Chief Executive. He currently lives in Newport, Essex.
Conrad Thorpe (50): Conrad was born and grew up in East Africa and represented Kenya at the Commonwealth Games in 1982. He served in the Royal Marines for 21 years, during which time he was selected for the Special Boat Service and served all over the world with them, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Conrad damaged his ankle while running which eventually led to an elective amputation in 2011. Jamie is his prosthetist - which is also how he joined the team. Conrad is now the Chief Executive of one of Africa’s leading risk management and security companies.
Follow us on Twitter @BLESMA
Use the hashtag #BLESMAChannelSwim
For further information on Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, contact
Bryony Stevens, Media and Communications Assistant
T: 020 8590 1124
Back to News