Sorcha swims the TT course for St John Ambulance

An 11-year-old from Douglas is one of the youngest participants to sign up to a challenge to swim the length of the TT course for charity.

Swimming challenge to support Community First Responders

The TT Swim challenge has been launched by the Western Swimming Pool, which is raising much needed funds for St John Ambulance Isle of Man’s CFRs.

Participants have until the middle of April to swim 37.75 miles – that’s 2,416 lengths of the pool in Derby Road, Peel.

The £10 entry fee goes to the Community First Responders (CFRs), highly trained first aiders who are despatched by the Isle of Man Ambulance and Paramedic Service to go to the aid of people who take ill in rural areas, often arriving before an emergency crew and tending to the patient until help arrives.

So far 39 individuals and 29 teams have entered the challenge, including a team of eight to 10-year-olds from Marown Primary School. The youngest participant is five.

Among those who have signed up is Sorcha Osborne, who goes to St Thomas’ CofE Primary School.

As well as supporting the CFRs through her entry fee, Sorcha, a St John Ambulance Cadet, will raise money for them through sponsorship from family and friends.

Sorcha has attended weekly swimming lessons at Peel for the last five years and has achieved Level 7 (of 10) and is working towards Level 8. She has also achieved Bronze and Silver levels in Rookie Lifeguard. She was awarded her Gold Level 1 before just Christmas and is now working towards Gold Levels 2 and 3.

Intensive routine to achieve target 

She plans to swim for an hour and a half most weekday evenings and again on Saturdays, with a target of clocking up 220 lengths a week.

She will be juggling the effort with her other hobbies, which include horse riding, learning to play  the clarinet, Manx dancing, off-road motorcycling, attending St John Ambulance Cadets on Wednesday evenings and helping out with her old Badger Sett on Monday evenings.

Sorcha – whose mum, Lynda, is County Executive Officer of St John Ambulance Isle of Man – said: ‘I love helping people and I want to swim the length of the TT course because I am excited by the challenge and I want to help the Community First Responders, who do a really valuable job.’

‘I joined the St John Ambulance Onchan Badger Sett when I was five years old and moved up to the Douglas Nursing Cadets last September. While in the Badgers I learned first aid skills and won the annual badger competition in 2010 and 2011. I gained my Super Badger Award last summer. I will soon be taking my Level 2 examination in first aid so that I can go out on duty, which I am really looking forward to. I am determined to do this and raise lots of money so that St John Ambulance can help more people.’

The TT Swim Challenge is the idea of Krysy Howard, who is a lifeguard at the Western pool and trained to be a CFR following the most recent recruitment drive, held in November and December.

Swimmers can undertake the challenge alone or in teams and can, if they wish, raise funds for their own preferred charities as well once they have paid their entry fees.

Participants record their miles in a booklet and can take advantage of reduced price admission.

To register for the TT Swim Challenge, contact the pool on 01624 842525.

For further information about St John Ambulance Isle of Man or to find out how to sign up for first aid courses, volunteer or support its work via donations, please ring 01624 674387.