Sussex student is swimming the English Channel for Chailey Heritage

A STUDENT from Sussex is swimming across the English Channel to raise funds for the charity that has helped care for her brother.

Kate Barkley is one of six University of Sheffield students who will be setting off from Dover in early July.

They have each chosen a charity to support - and Kate, 22, will be swimming for Chailey Heritage Foundation based in North Chailey, Mid Sussex.

The charity cares for children and young people with complex disabilities, and Kate's brother Sam was at school there.

Kate, who lives in Hassocks, said: "Chailey Heritage Foundation is a very special charity for me and my family because of the amazing support they have given Sam.

"My brother has severe and complex needs but that didn't stop him from having a great time at school at Chailey Heritage.

"I grew up around Chailey Heritage - it was central to our lives - and it was a place he could go to where he had such fun.

"I can remember going to the scouts group there with Sam, he absolutely loved it. He had such fun amazing birthday parties there and he took part in the school plays as well.

"It was also so important to give my parents some respite as well.

"Chailey Heritage Foundation is a very special place, and this is my way of thanking them for

caring for Sam, who's now 29. We are all so grateful.

"I'd really just like to raise enough money to give back to the people that helped me in my childhood.

"here is just this under representation for disabled people and they’re often discriminated against and pushed to the side, so I think it’s really important that they’re given everything they need because there just aren't enough funds for it."

The six have been given a time window from July 1-10 to complete the challenge. Each will swim for one hour relay-style and it should take around 12-15 hours. It is expected they will each swim twice, some potentially three times, in order to reach the French coastline.

Kate said: "We all met in the university swimming and water polo club and this is the first all- female group from the university taking part.

"Our team name – She Swims Like A Girl – is part of our message of empowerment. We’re saying yeah, a girl can swim the Channel – go us!

"Women are capable of doing tough challenges like this - that's a key message of what we are doing.

The six have been preparing with open water swims and cold water acclimatisation.

You can sponsor Kate here Kate Barkley is fundraising for Chailey Heritage Foundation

Chailey Heritage Chief Executive Gareth Germer said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Kate has chosen to fundraise for Chailey Heritage Foundation. 

"It sounds incredible what Kate and her friends are doing by undertaking a relay swim across the English Channel. We are very grateful to be one of the beneficiaries and we wish the team the very best of luck. 

"We look forward to welcoming Kate to our home at Chailey to hear all about the challenge and to say a very warm thank you for supporting us."  

Chailey Heritage Foundation is a charity providing education, care and transition services to children and young adults with complex physical disabilities. Their mission is to give disabled children and young adults every opportunity to pursue their fullest potential.