Young Charlie’s 10-mile challenge for breast cancer charity

A nine-year-old boy has completed a 10-mile swim to raise money for a breast cancer charity, a cause close to his heart after his mum was treated for the disease twice.

Charlie Shelton completed the distance over three weeks in July, swimming before and after school at Westbury Swimming Pool, and didn’t let anything stop him – not even a nasty scooter accident that left him with broken front teeth.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Charlie’s mum, Jade Townsend. “About three or four months ago, he just turned to me and said, ‘I want to raise money for the people who saved you.’ We found out about the 10-mile swim challenge and he immediately said, ‘Yes, please.’ He was completely up for it. We’re all incredibly proud of him; I cried when he finished.”

Charlie, a pupil at Bratton Primary School, swam 800 lengths of Westbury Pool. “That’s halfway to France!” his mum joked. And while he’s already raised over £450, the family is hoping to reach £600, the amount needed to keep a laboratory running for an hour to conduct live breast tissue analysis – potentially leading to life-saving breakthroughs.

Charlie said, “It was really hard getting up early, but I just thought about the people I was helping. When I finished, it felt amazing!”

The charity he chose, Breast Cancer Now, supported his mum during her treatment and is a cause the whole family now champions. “It’s not the best-known charity,” Jade said, “but the work they do is vital. It means everything to us.

“They are there for anyone affected by breast cancer, providing support for today and hope for the future. Any contribution will be a big help.”

The staff at Westbury Pool were a big help to Charlie and his school has also rallied behind him, allowing him to show off his Breast Cancer Now t-shirt and encouraging donations from teachers and friends. Now Charlie has set his sights on a new personal challenge: swimming 94 miles in year but this time it’s just for fun.

The family has set up a QR code and online fundraising page for anyone who would still like to support Charlie’s swim or there is a donation bucket at Westbury Pool where people can donate with cash.

Every pound donated will help fund life-saving research and support for people facing breast cancer. To donate visit https://www.facebook.com/donate/721016520870722/