Blesma Channel Swimmers win People’s Choice Award at Soldiering On Awards

Thousands of people voted in The People’s Choice Award category of the Soldiering On Awards, held on Friday 22 April in London, making the Blesma Channel Swim team the winners.

The team, Steve White, Jamie Gillespie, Craig Howorth and Conrad Thorpe completed the crossing in September 2014 in just over 12 hours raising around £4,000 for Blesma and setting the record for the first all-amputee team to cross the Channel. They adhered to the Official Channel Swimming Association (CSA) rules which include not wearing wetsuits in water temperatures that average at 18°C for September. They did not wear their prosthetic legs out of choice.

Steve, Craig and Jamie were in attendance on the night joined by their coach and CSA official Giovanna Richards. Conrad was unfortunately unable to attend. The Awards were presented by Jeremy Vine and actress Vicki Michelle at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster.

Speaking to The Sunday Express, who sponsored the award, Steve White said: “We trained hard but nothing prepared us for the open sea. At times it was a real struggle but seeing the lads on the boat and listening to Giovanna, I had to go on.”

Giovanna added: “We raised a glass to Conrad because his contribution was outstanding. He got them off to a great start at Dover in the bitterly cold seas and he finished it by reaching the shore in France.”

Barry Le Grys, Blesma Chief Executive said: "Jamie, Craig, Conrad and Steve came up with a world beating idea but the odds were against it.  They, with coach Giovanna, made it happen, beating the particularly bad odds on the day due to bad weather.  They pushed one another on as true fellows can and showed the world what doggedly determined fellowship can achieve.  There is a lesson for us all here." 

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.

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Hi-res images can be downloaded from the links below:

L-R Jamie Gillespie, Giovanna Richards, Steve White, Craig Howorth: https://blesma.org/media/437577/blesma-channel-swim-team.jpg

About the swimmers

Craig Howorth: 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: 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. He works for Pace Rehabilitation and is living in Watford.

Stephen White: 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: 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.

For further information on Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, contact

Bryony Stevens, Media and Communications Officer

E: mediasupport@blesma.org

T: 020 8590 1124

W: www.blesma.org