Sponsored Swim – An Update

Update on the Sponsored Swim by Christopher Woodward to save the Garden Museum

In the Summer Newsletter, we wrote about the sponsored swim by Christopher Woodward, Director of the Garden Museum, to raise £100,000 towards the £270,000 shortfall of funds needed to save the Museum.  Avon Gardens Trust donated £500 towards the fund as it is such a fantastic museum and one that is close to the hearts of all garden historians.

Conditions have been terrible for Christopher although he managed to complete part of the journey.  Any further swimming had to be temporarily postponed due to the storms in late October resulting in strong surges and high wave swells in the Atlantic.   Wednesday 4 November was Day Four of Christopher’s sponsored swim.  It was a sunny day and he managed to complete six miles of swimming which meant he had made it one-mile past Wolf Rock Lighthouse, which is the half way point to the first of the Isles of Scilly. He now has 33 miles to go.

However, lockdown has stopped play as Newlyn harbour is now restricted to essential shipping activities. Christopher will be back in the water in December, if lockdown ends and the weather is good enough, or as soon as he can in the spring.