Five city workers are preparing to brave an open water swim to raise money for Hospiscare.

Michemores' partners Cameron Caverhill and Graham Cridland will take part in the event on Saturday 26 September with their colleagues Mel Firth, Ellen Yeates and Alice Bastone. The team agreed to do the Hospiscare swim in July.

And Mel, who has worked at Michelmores for eight years, has enjoyed training for the event.

"I used to do a lot of running," she said. "I've done marathons in the past, but then I injured my leg. I heard about the one-mile swim and I thought what a brilliant idea, I'll take up swimming instead."

Mel has completed the London marathon twice in the past and to get ready for the one-mile swim she has gone to the pool daily with her colleague Ellen. She is also running at least four times a week and cycles from her home in Chagford to the Michelmores' offices in Pynes Hill.

Mel and Ellen will also be taking part in a triathlon to get themselves fit. Although the routine can be hard, Mel believes it has benefits. "It is difficult at times, but working this hard gives us license to eat whatever we want."

Michelmores supports Hospiscare as part of its social corporate responsibility programme. Spokesman Neil Devons said that staff were aiming to raise "as much as possible".

He said: "This is not the first time we have done something for Hospiscare, so as soon as they got in touch, we got involved."

The team has not set a specific fundraising target but Mel said: "There is a sponsorship form flying around the firm, and people are usually very generous.

"Everyone knows it's going on," she added. "People keep stopping me at lunchtime to ask how it's all going."

A number of staff will be helping as stewards at the event, at Roadford Lake, Watersports Centre, near Okehampton.

The one-mile swim is a first for the charity, which has worked with terminally ill patients in Exeter, Mid and East Devon for 27 years.

To find out more call 01392 688063 or visit www.onemileswim.co.uk

This article appeared in the Express & Echo on 15 September 2009

( Last Updated: 28-10-2009 )

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